If your New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with patients and less time on busy work, here’s a suggestion for getting started: Take advantage of the built-in automation features of your EHR software. Today’s systems include many smart features designed to automate repetitive tasks and streamline your workflow. With the right software, you and your team will not only save time, but you might discover you can do more with less staff.

To get started, here are 6 common tasks that are perfect candidates for automation.

1. Coding. A coding engine designed for your specialty takes the busy work out of coding by evaluating the medical record data as the provider enters it and suggesting the correct codes (including modifiers) for posting.
2. Orders. Diagnosis driven orders automate the selection of assessments, plans, and orders based on individual provider preferences. This feature reduces documentation time.
3. Referral Management. This feature automates communications to patient contacts and referrals including sending of after-visit summaries and exam documents upon sign-off of the patient’s exam.
4. Eligibility Verification. This feature automatically runs eligibility verification based on your business rules, saving time, speeding check-in, and improving collections.
5. Appointment Reminders. Multi-level patient messaging via text, email or voice automates pre/post appointment reminders, recall/reactivation, broadcast messaging, and outstanding balance alerts. This feature saves hours of staff time and helps keep your schedule full.
6. Patient Scheduling. Online patient scheduling that allows patients to self-schedule or request an appointment reduces call volume and staff time by approving appointment requests automatically and sending automated reminders.

Still using a clunky EHR without these smart features?  Let’s talk!