EMR Review by Cardiologist Mark Holt, MD, FACC
Dr. Mark Holt is a Cardiologist practicing in Rancho Mirage California. He has been using Practice Partner EMR in his practice since 2009.
Dr. Holt feels that the Electronic Medical Record has improved his relationship with his patients. He saves a lot of money no longer having to purchase the special paper for his EKGs. He can quickly review all data before the appointment and during the patient visit he can easily access data from even years before. He still dictates but no longer uses a transcriptionist. Instead he uses the dictaphone and speech recognition capabilities of the software.
Dr Holts' favorite feature in Practice Partner is the chart itself and the ease of accessing the data.
There are several reasons why he would recommend using an EMR- His top reason is that he can get the valuable data to the referring physician in a much more efficient manner. Previously with paper charts he would have to wait on the transcriptionist, then review it, then fax or mail it. Now that process is done the same day- no longer a 10 day turnaround. If there is an abnormality they can address that sooner, or if the results come back ok then the patient is ready to go and they don't have to worry about rescheduling surgeries.
One of the greatest utilities of Practice Partner is that he can access charts anytime or any where. He can pull up the chart on his phone- the iPhone. Whether he is out of town or he gets a consult at 1am- he can access the records and all the information he needs. This saves him from having to hurry to the office in the morning before he goes to the hospital. This saves time and a lot of frustration. He loves using the iPad or iPhone. This has also improved the communication with his staff and made him much more efficient. EMR for iPad & iPhone
Eisenhower Medical Center recommended Practice Partner EMR and AZCOMP Technologies. This stamp of approval and their support for this EMR and vendor says a lot. He considers EMC a world class institution.
The comfort level using Practice Partner was one of the advantages. The software is word based and made it comfortable from the beginning. Most people have used word before so it is an easier transition. It took some time getting used to the software- but now things are running smoothly and he feels very confident that they made the right choice when choosing this EMR.
Dr Holt no longer has to use a transcription service because he uses Dragon and the Dictaphone, which is one of his favorite aspects of making the change from paper to EMR. He is no longer dependant on the transcriptionist. If patients just wait a few minutes they can get the dictation immediately. They no longer lose files that never came back from the transcriptionist. This also eliminates the time to review hundreds of pages of transcriptions since he proofreads as he goes, which saves a significant amount of time each day. He also saves between $10,000 - $12,000 a year just by eliminating a transcriptionist and using the speech recognition software.
As far as increased productivity goes, one of the best things he notices on a daily basis is they are no longer searching for charts. There was always the joke of the endless chart search before- that is gone. That has effected the quality of life of the physician and his staff. Also multiple people can access the same chart at the same time. He can transmit data much easier and even do it himself with only a few clicks. This takes out several steps and removes several opportunities of human error. The few steps and the few people required make it much more efficient than paper.
They chose AZCOMP Technologies for implementing, training and supporting the EMR. When he needs help he can call and they are available. He recommends AZCOMP as they are very knowledgeable and helpful.