As most post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) practitioners will agree, documentation can be one of the most frustrating parts of patient care. Spending time with patients and improving their outcomes is what most practitioners truly care about, and the entire process of documentation can be an unwelcome distraction from what really matters. Many electronic health record (EHR) systems compound the problem by being overly complex, cumbersome, or simply aren’t designed with the unique PALTC workflow in mind. However, there are benefits of electronic health record systems designed with modern, PALTC-specific features to consider.
1. Optimizes Operational Efficiency & Work-Life Balance
Post-acute and long-term care electronic health record systems improve the efficient use of practitioners’ time by providing patient visit templates that reduce the time and attention needed to document each visit. They incorporate built-in chronic care management (CCM) reporting and have billing and coding suggestions that are specific to long-term care. Additionally, they’re able to auto-populate data from previous visits, eliminating the need to repeat the same documentation. PALTC-specific EHR systems can enable practitioners to chart patient visits in as little as three minutes or less.
Plus, the benefits electronic health record systems designed for PALTC will remain apparent even after the practitioner walks out the office door at the end of their shift. Alleviating practitioners from such time-consuming administrative duties creates better potential for shorter work days, and an overall healthier work-life balance.
2. Enhances Patient Experience
Working in healthcare comes with a multitude of responsibilities. Of those responsibilities, providing quality care is #1. Utilizing an electronic health record system not designed for PALTC will only add unnecessary workload, therefore taking the focus off the patient, leaving them feel rushed or like they’re receiving inadequate care. PALTC EHR systems reduce administrative burdens by seamlessly integrating into practitioners’ normal workflow, allowing for complete and accurate data capture without creating a complicated charting process that adds pressure and distraction to every patient visit.
A significant factor in decreasing administrative burden and improving patient-provider communication is how easy the electronic health record system is to adopt. Easy adoption is made possible through intuitive processes and providing accessible, 24/7 IT support. Feeling confident with the EHR platform, in turn, gives both the provider and patient confidence in the care being given, too.
3. Improves Data Utility
At the end of the day, charting is about creating data that improves patient care by accurately representing their condition and the care they received. Electronic health record systems designed for PALTC will provide transparent data that is complete, measurable, and leads to actionable insights at both the patient level and the systems level. By improving the quality of the data that is captured and its accessibility, practitioners and medical practices are positioned to make well-informed decisions in the future care of their patients.
PacEHR™ Electronic Health Record
PacEHR™ electronic health record is an EHR system designed for and by PALTC practitioners who understand the unique workflow and processes of post-acute and long-term care. Many EHR systems include a module that can be used by PALTC practitioners, but few are created for the distinctive needs that are particular to this specialty.
PacEHR saves PALTC practitioners’ time by avoiding strenuous, manual data input, allowing them to quickly create intuitive documentation for each patient visit and eliminate redundant charting tasks. This innovative PALTC EHR is easy to implement into any PALTC practice. It focuses on capturing measurable data that allows for practitioners to understand the story their data is telling, and further plan for optimization of patient care and practice management.
To learn more about the benefits of electronic health record systems designed for PALTC, download the PacEHR™ electronic health record overview PDF below.