Healthcare organizations are collecting more data than ever before, but how can they most effectively use that intelligence to make their operations run smoother and accomplish the goal of improved care for patients? Through an EHR Lab Interface.
Electronic health records (EHRs) are a critical component of any comprehensive medical record management system. They are not mandatory for all healthcare organizations, but their value is undeniable for large and small organizations alike.
However, the EHR tool is only as good as what you add to it to create a comprehensive practice management solution. In this article, we will take you through some of the essential components of a EHR lab interface for a successful practice.
What an EHR lab interface should have?
1. Connectivity
The most forward moving EHR lab interface not only connects to a healthcare organization’s lab, but also to medication dispensing software, and other systems within the medical practice to mitigate data entry requirements. These systems are not inexpensive either as they require significant development costs to integrate into existing systems and practices.
An effective EHR lab interface can send and receive data to and from other lab interface. A direct interface enables a reference lab to transmit test results directly to the provider who ordered the tests or the patient who needs them, bypassing the labs that performed the tests.
2. Data Quality
Some of these EHR lab interface products are beginning to use AI and machine learning algorithms to make sense of the data collected from these devices and improve the quality of that data before it hits the patients chart.
An efficient EHR lab interface gives high-quality data set that enhances the validity and reliability of research findings, provides a sound foundation for conclusions derived from the data, and is thus an integral component in EHR-based study design and implementation.
3. One Stop Shop
A complete electronic health record system covers all the pillars of patient care that make a practice more efficient. More importantly, it takes care of workflow so the information captured by the EHR can be leveraged towards better diagnosis, treatment, and care. Only a complete EHR provides features that optimize all aspects of patient care: clinical, financial and administrative.
To help complete the EHR system, many EHR lab interfaces are combined with lab, medication dispensing and scheduling systems into one system which makes it easier to run a healthcare organization’s office once they get used to it. This leads to staff productivity gains since they don’t need to move around between separate software packages when completing routine business functions such as scheduling and managing patient lab results.
4. Clinical Decision Support
Clinical decision support systems are computer-based programs that analyze data within electronic health records and provide prompts and reminders to assist health care providers in implementing evidence-based clinical guidelines at the point of care.
An efficient and effective EHR lab interface that should be used in today’s clinical settings comes with clinical decision support. These programs are usually configurable, so healthcare organizations can set the reminders that best fit a patient panel. When a patient forgets to bring in a prescription or other required forms, a reminder about the missing items will appear in an unobtrusive message in the patient’s visit notes.
Invest in an EHR Lab Interface Today
The deployment of an EHR lab interface can improve efficiency, boost the quality of care, make your practice more compliant with regulations, and add to your bottom line. Contact Lifepoint Informatics today at 877.522.8378 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your electronic health record needs or challenges. Visit our contact page to book a free demo of our health IT solutions.