| If you've been charged with finding electronic | | | | patches, or calling helpdesks, or waiting for |
| medical record software, then you might already | | | | engineers to install upgrades to fix issues. A |
| know what you need. However, if you're not | | | | reliable program will not have issues, and will work |
| sure, then here's what you need to consider. | | | | well work without any major problems. |
| 1. The electronic medical record software needs | | | | 7. You'll want to make sure that whatever |
| to be easy to use, so that there isn't a steep | | | | electronic medical record software you choose |
| learning curve. You won't want your staff to | | | | meets your future needs. There's no point in |
| spend more days on training courses than they | | | | buying a system that isn't going to cope if you |
| do treating patients. | | | | get more patients. |
| 2. Having a familiar interface will mean that the | | | | 8. You might need your records software to |
| program looks familiar, and users will instinctively | | | | work with other software for reporting purposes, |
| know where to find things. This will help to ensure | | | | or for inputting patient data. If it's not obvious |
| that patient care doesn't suffer as doctors or | | | | that it works with your software, you'll have to |
| nurses can' find what they need, or can't make | | | | ask. |
| the notes they need to. | | | | 9. It's important that the software meets needs |
| 3. As the system will be dealing with the most | | | | of your patients, not just your staff. The whole |
| private of personal information, it's essential that | | | | purpose is to ensure that patient care is |
| the system is secure, and that there are different | | | | improved, and that things are quicker and easier |
| levels of access, so that staff in different | | | | for patients, and that they get the care they |
| departments can only access their patients, and | | | | need in a timely manner. |
| required information. | | | | 10. Even though you will have a budget in mind, |
| 4. The software needs to quick to use. Patients | | | | you can't buy on cost alone. You don't want to |
| won't care about the additional functions, or the | | | | end up with an electronic medical record system |
| reporting capability, if it takes a long time for their | | | | that is slow, unreliable, and hard to use, in order |
| details to come up on screen. | | | | to save some money. It's much more important |
| 5. Along with security, stability is extremely | | | | to get it right first time. |
| important. It's annoying enough when a program | | | | Now you know what to look for, you'll able to get |
| crashes, or stops responding, but in a hospital, or | | | | the best electronic medical record system for |
| doctors surgery, it could have fatal consequences. | | | | your patients. |
| 6. You won't want to spend your time installing | | | | |