Cloud technology is being leveraged across every industry, including the eye care industry. However, while ODs have used the cloud for lab ordering and claims management, many ODs are holding their practice back by refusing to use cloud based EHR software despite the numerous benefits. In this post, we identify how a cloud based EHR can improve your optometric practice.
How Cloud Based EHR Software Can Improve Your Practice
Increased Mobility
In the eye care industry, you’re constantly on the move. Transitioning from patient to patient can be taxing. In an attempt to maximize your patient schedule, there are times where you don’t have the chance to fully document the patient’s exam while they are in your practice, requiring you to take your work home.
With a cloud based EHR, you can access your patient files from anywhere, on almost any device, with an internet connection. This means, instead of having to do a backup every night, you can leave your practice on time and securely log into the EHR from home to gain access the same information you had in your practice.
Reduced Costs
When your EHR is hosted on an in-house server, you have to spend a lot of money to preserve the servers. The cost of the updating hardware, supplying power, and hiring an IT consultant to maintain the in-house servers can add up. However, when you switch to a cloud based solution, you eliminate many of the costs and pay a subscription fee that is typically a fraction of the cost of an in-house server.
Automatic Updates
When your server-based EHR has an update, you have to spend your after-hours applying the update to all of your computers and hope that the updates are working properly before for the next morning. But, if you’re using a cloud based EHR, the updates are managed by the software vendor without impacting your practice or productivity.
Improved Security
Security in healthcare is not an afterthought. With HIPAA regulations threatening to punish violators, you need to ensure that you’ve taken every precaution to minimize the risk of a data breach that could cost you money, ruin your reputation, and damage the trust of your patients. Maintaining HIPAA compliance on an in-house server is expensive, complex, and may increase risks. Partnering with a secure cloud based EHR provider will give you reassurance that your data is safeguarded using HIPAA compliant best practices, like data encryption and offsite backups, to reduce risks.
Thinking of making the switch to a cloud based EHR? Download our migration guide for tips for success.
