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Dr. Halpin's EHR Story
Twenty months ago, I opened the doors to my eyecare practice. After six years of working as an employee at other practices, I observed many things that great Optometrists did well, but it also exposed me to a lot of things that could have been done better. When I took the leap of opening my own practice, one of my main goals was to make sure everything I set up was efficient and would make for a great patient experience.
Choosing the right EHR software was going to have big implications into how efficient my practice could be. I wanted to make sure I chose a system that would allow me to eliminate as much paper as possible and eliminate duplicate data entry to save myself and my staff time. I ultimately decided to go with Uprise EHR and Practice Management Software, as it was the system that allowed me to be truly paperless. The interface is attractive and user-friendly, and I felt it was the most efficient in terms of time saved with each patient. After using the system for almost two years, here are just a few ways Uprise helps me be as efficient as possible each and every day.
1. Automated Patient Intake Forms
As I previously mentioned, I really wanted to be a paperless practice and I wanted to reduce as much duplicate data entry as possible. The patient intake form with Uprise makes this possible. The intake questionnaire can be filled out prior to the patient’s appointment via a link in their appointment reminder email, or using a tablet provided to the patient in the waiting room. The responses to the intake form are automatically populated into the patient record in the exam, without data entry by my front desk staff – such a time saver!
2. Connectivity with Other Platforms
Uprise comes built in with connections to the Emdeon Clearinghouse, 4PatientCare for recalls and reminders, Rendia for video-based patient education, Surescripts for e-prescribing, and CodeSafePlus for code verification. These integrations save me money, as well as time, from having to source, integrate, and pay for these services in addition to my EHR.
3. Built-in VisionWeb Ordering Platform
It’s so helpful for me to be able to enter all lens recommendations while doing the exam. In the exam room, I am able to choose the lens design, lens material, and anti-reflective treatment as I’m educating the patient on their options and why I’m recommending certain products for them. I am also able to measure PDs and input them into the system from the exam. When my front desk staff member creates an Rx order during checkout, all the recommendations made in the exam room get imported. Then, all that is left is frame selection and pricing out items based on insurance coverage.
Summary
Without Uprise our workflow would be much less efficient and organized; there would be a lot of duplicate data entry, and staff time would be wasted on mindless tasks like pulling files and booking and confirming appointments. On top of office efficiency, the attractive EHR gives the impression to patients that we are a modern office. Patients judge what they see. They can’t tell whether a slit lamp or visual field is current or outdated, but they can tell if a software system is modern. If a patient notices that I’m using high-tech office software, they know that we value new technology.