Behavioral health practices of all sizes in the United States are still using old-fashioned paper-based systems or generic office software that does little to help them keep their work organized and flowing smoothly.
In some cases, providers believe that the cost of electronic health record software is prohibitive to implementation. Others believe that the current state of EHR applications does not provide them with the features they require in their behavioral health practice. However, as cloud computing technology advances, the use of highly secure cloud-based EHR setups is becoming more common.
Vendors of electronic health records are now tailoring their software to better meet the needs of behavioral health practices. They provide Software as a Service for behavioral health EHR applications. A subscription-based Saa typically lowers the total cost of ownership for providers. EHR applications are built as SaaS scale with your business, allowing you to only pay for the number of practitioners using the service under your roof.
We understand the cost of EHR software because we are an EHR vendor. However, especially in behavioral health practices, the benefits far outweigh the costs. We’ll go over, the top five reasons why your behavioral health practice needs EHR software in this article.
1. Higher Productivity
Your team can now automate calls to patients by integrating EHR with practice management software, which helps to reduce no-shows. Patients with behavioral health issues may find it reassuring to hear about their appointments from a voice they are already familiar with if you record these calls in the voice of your staff.
2. Lower recoupments and claim denials
You’ve probably noticed that third-party payers are becoming more demanding in terms of the documentation they require for rendered services. If your company fails to provide the necessary information, you risk having claims delayed, denied, or payments recouped by payers after audits.
One of the biggest advantages of using electronic health record software in your behavioral health practice is that you can always count on the documentation to be complete and accurate. This helps you avoid billing and reimbursement issues while also improving your practice’s revenue flow.
3. Monitoring Prescriptions
Many prescriptions for psychotropic medications are designed to help patients who are vulnerable to abuse, which is a sad fact of modern life. This is why behavioral health professionals have begun to rely on their EHR’s prescription tracking features.
Patients receive medication from a single provider when prescriptions are tracked electronically. Patients can then take advantage of the system by obtaining multiple prescriptions for the same controlled substance from different doctors and pharmacies. Doctors can use tracking to ensure that their patients’ prescriptions are being filled on a regular basis.
Healthcare providers must ensure that they are adhering to behavioral health-related government regulations.
“This legislation mandated that all Medicare Part D providers electronically prescribe controlled substances (EPCS) by 2021,” according to the office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. As a result, there is growing support for moving away from traditional handwritten prescriptions and toward e-prescribing.
You will not only comply with the country’s anti-opioid abuse efforts, but you will also save time for your staff because electronic prescriptions are more efficient. It also saves your patients time because the prescription can be filled while they are traveling between your office and the pharmacy.
4. Improved Service Coordination
Because of the nature of behavioral health disorders, patients are likely to see multiple providers and receive a wide range of services.
With more moving parts to juggle, behavioral health practices benefit from EHR software because it facilitates communication among providers, reducing wasteful service duplication. After all, a patient may not be able to tell if he or she is receiving unnecessary care and must rely on professionals to ensure that services are delivered efficiently.
5. Tracking of Authorizations
How much time does your behavioral practice’s staff spend on the phone confirming a patient’s insurance authorization for services? As workers determine how many units a patient has left for authorization, you certainly want it to go smoothly. Otherwise, you risk jeopardizing the patient’s continuity of care and accumulating denied claims.
Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance companies, as well as accrediting agencies, are dealing with ever-increasing service requirements, demonstrating the need for behavioral health providers to communicate the details to them using electronic health record software. An EHR becomes a critical tool in ensuring that each patient receives high-quality care.
Choosing the Best EHR Software for Your Clinic
To run their businesses more efficiently, behavioral health professionals should take advantage of the latest software and technology developments.
