EMR Selection Primer: 4 Essential Features for FQHCs

Selecting electronic medical records software is notoriously difficult. The EMR market is flooded with several hundred vendors that cover the full spectrum of pricing and functionality, and clinics often have trouble cutting through the marketing noise. All healthcare providers are in a precarious situation, EMR systems are very expensive and can be tough to implement. Selecting the wrong system can set a practice back tens of thousands of dollars.

Federal qualified health centers (FQHCs) are certainly not exempt from this predicament. They too will be required to use electronic medical records by 2015. Since most are using paper charts, the transition to electronic can be especially challenging for them.

The advantages of going electronic will become critical – increased information mining; quicker access to patient information; more security; and less storage space are just a few of the benefits of switching from paper charts to EMR software.

When beginning the search for an EMR, we recommend that buyers assemble a list of their key requirements. Specialty-specific templates, lab integration, e-prescribing, and device integration are commonly required features. FQHCs, however, need to consider additional functionality due to their unique offering.

These requirements include:

• The ability to serve a wide range of specialties. Most FQHCs will need a system that supports a broad range of care – primary care, pediatrics, women's health, behavioral health, physical therapy, dental, etc. While many vendors can address primary care and related specialties, very few can also address mental/behavioral health, therapy, and dental care in a single system.
• FQHC reports. As you know, FQHCs are required to track detailed patient information and provide Universal Services Data (USD) reports on patient demographics, statistics, and trends. Most software vendors on the market will have basic reports for patient demographics and sometimes PQRI, but most will not offer specific FQHC reports out of the box.
• Support for sliding fee scale adjustments. Systems built for FQHCs will allow administrators to apply discounts based on family size and income. Most vendors will not offer this functionality, requiring users to complete adjustments manually. This process can become very labor-intensive and increase the room for human error.
• Efficient workflows for high-volume centers. FQHCs are notoriously busy, with many providers seeing 30-40 patients per day. This large patient load will require a system that allows users to complete notes quickly, calculate charges efficiently, and generate claims automatically. Wasting time with redundant tasks can quickly lower an FQHC's ability to support high patient volumes.

Although the EMR software market is large and complex, FQHCs can begin their EMR search processes effectively by focusing on software vendors that offer these four features. They will further benefit from the simple fact that fewer software vendors can serve their specialized needs. This smaller universe of potential vendors will help them quickly identify potential options and make the research process that much easier.