iSalus Healthcare OfficeEMR is a web-based solution that combines electronic medical record features with practice management functions. It is hosted on iSalus’ servers so medical practices do not need to purchase any servers, software, or other relevant expenditures. Nor would they have to worry about upgrading any software. They would only need to pay a monthly subscription fee, which is $700 per provider. The subscription fee covers hosting, data security and backups, free electronic prescribing, free drug interaction checking, and free lab results, as well as scheduling, billing, and document management functions. The package also includes a patient portal, so patients can schedule appointments and check on their test results at their own convenience.

OfficeEMR provides a variety of customizable templates so that physicians can adopt them to their particular practices. Patients’ older charts can also be scanned and stored online, along with images, videos, letters, and reports. Those files can be exported in a variety of formats, such as Word or Excel. Physicians can share charts and other information on their patients with their patients’ other doctors.

Physicians can order and prescribe lab tests and treatment electronically. OfficeEMR comes pre-configured with access to LabCorp and Quest, and other labs can be added for free. Lab results are sent back to the ordering physician electronically and can then be added to the patient’s electronic record, and doctors can create custom patient-specific sheets on patient preventative care and/or disease management.

Like lab tests, prescriptions can also be sent electronically. Doctors have immediate access to drug interaction information – therefore, it can be checked at the time of the patient visit. Formulary guidelines are available and practices can receive updated formulary information on a weekly basis.

OfficeEMR provides an at-a-glance scheduling view, with each column representing a particular doctor’s appointment schedule. The patient can be pre-registered at the time they make an appointment, which can be updated at the time of check-in. Patients’ identification and insurance cards can be scanned and stored into the system. Check-in, cancellations, and no-show statistics can also be tracked.

OfficeEMR also comes with a billing and coding function. Claims and patient statements can either be printed on paper or sent electronically. Claims can be checked for errors before being submitted to the insurance companies. Explanation of benefits (EOB) can also be processed electronically. Staff can also run account inquiries and aging reports. Doctors can run patient data analysis and reports that can be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and other public health officials.

As a very useful feature, OfficeEMR also provides a mobile application (for iPhones and other mobile devices) so doctors can access patient records and general practice information from anywhere. iSalus also provides a no-risk guarantee that all information, especially sensitive patient data, is secure and backed up every night. This is, without a doubt, one of the most important features.

OfficeEMR first received CCHIT certification in 2006 and its Version 2009 was certified in 2008. Its OfficeEMR 2011 Meaningful Use Edition will be, according to iSalus, guaranteed to meet meaningful use requirements as set by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information.

OfficeEMR is good for any practices that do not want to spend a lot of money upfront or do not want to worry about keeping up with hardware, software, or upgrade requirements. As a $700 per month subscription, it is affordable, especially for smaller practices or solo practitioners.

For more information on electronic medical records (EMRs), please download our free whitepaper “Electronic Medical Records: Choosing the Best System for Your Practice.”

Tags: EHR, EMR