EHR Definition
If you’re not familiar with electronic health records, think of them as a number of interconnected software programs working together to meet the entire need of a physician’s medical office. Doctors’ offices, clinics, emergency rooms, and hospitals use them to track patient data, communicate with payers, bill appropriate parties, and send electronic orders and prescriptions.
Electronic Health Record systems include electronic medical records, or EMR, which contains a patient’s medical history and records clinical notes. They can also include features like scheduling, charting, and patient portals. In end-to-end EHR systems like PracticeSuite, all of these features work together to help the practice function smoothly.
Choosing an EHR
We understand that selecting an EHR takes time and energy. You have many options on the market, many of which offer similar features, so choosing the right one for your practice can be confusing.
We’re reviewing the top EHR systems of 2021, and we’ve selected 12 contenders for our report. Join us as we deliver in-depth reviews of each option so you can make an informed, educated decision.
Today we’re reviewing PracticeSuite, which lands at the top of our list. It’s a well-known, well-respected EHR system that offers plenty of features at a price you can’t beat.
What Is PracticeSuite?
While PracticeSuite offers the usual bells and whistles that come with comprehensive EHR systems, it also allows the user to customize his or her experience. The adaptable modules let practice managers, physicians, and other healthcare professionals decide how they want to run their businesses and what features they need to use most.
It’s the ideal solution for practices of up to 100 users, especially since it caters to 61 different specialties. The company behind this software doesn’t demand a long-term contract from its customers. In fact, you can use the basic billing software for free, then upgrade to more advanced features only when you need them.
Essentially, PracticeSuite offers you the chance to manage your practice from one simple but elegantly-designed dashboard. With just a few clicks of a mouse, you can access patient records, billing data, and any other information you might need.
Pros of PracticeSuite
As mentioned above, PracticeSuite delivers a comprehensive EHR system that optimizes your revenue cycle management, permits complex scheduling, provides advanced revenue monitoring functionality, and consistently boosts patient engagement.
Additionally, PracticeSuite enjoys an extremely high customer retention rate — 99.1 percent — because of its accessible customer service and reliable technology. Users don’t have to worry about system downtime or technological glitches because PracticeSuite remains stable no matter how you use it. You can even use it to set KPIs, or key performance indicators, so you have more insight into your practice’s efficiency and operation.
It’s also ideal for medical billing services, and many practice managers refer those services to PracticeSuite. Medical billing services can co-brand their documents with their own logos, choose their clearinghouse, and sign on to all databases with a single action.
Whether you operate a practice or a medical billing service, you’ll benefit from this cloud-based system. You don’t have to install it on every device in the office. Instead, you can use your credentials to log into the system from any internet-connected device. Cloud-based software programs like PracticeSuite offer enhanced security and convenience.
Finally, expect an easy, intuitive process. You can get started in as few as three minutes with PracticeSuite, so don’t worry about devoting your precious time to tedious installation and training processes.
Cons of PracticeSuite
You might not want to use PracticeSuite if you are a large institutional setting like a hospital. The EMR system is designed for small and medium-sized ambulatory practices and serves over 61 medical specialties and sub-specialties, so users that fall into these categories will experience the best fit.
True of any technology adoption but especially true of EMR, and mainly because the practice of medicine can be complex, when a physician switchs directly from paper charting to Electronic Medical Records, the learning curve can be daunting. But be encouraged, although it takes 40,000 hours to learn medicine, it doesn’t take long at all to learn EHR software.
That being said, it is important to train and learn the EHR long enough in advance to avoid impact on daily productivity. Some physicians for instance choose to begin with a patient group that is smaller and more manageable to start out, such as their Medicare patients only, or patients with a set condition thus aiding repetition. Fortunately, PracticeSuite offers weekly live training, live telephone support, and offers hundreds of training videos (training videos are available within each window of the software) that allow you to learn at your convenience, at your own pace, and help acclimate you to the system.
What Customers Say About PracticeSuite
Users across the internet give PracticeSuite glowing reviews. On the PracticeSuite home page, for instance, Dr. Jonas of Newport, California, says that the “team is knowledgeable” and the “support is fantastic,” making special note of the software’s excellent pricing.
Writing for SoftwareAdvice.com, Julie from LifeArts Integrated Health Center notes, “Practice Suite is a great product and the service support is amazing. They are continuously upgrading and integrating new aspects of the software to help ease the use for both providers and patients.”
Dr. Richard Drake gives similar feedback: “As a startup practice it is challenging getting up and running. PracticeSuite had a very affordable software, and to be honest, that’s why I originally went with it. As I learned the system more I didn’t realize how much deep functionality the EHR had, and from what my staff has been able to demonstrate the billing and reporting is top notch. I like that they have reports that show me our last 6 months in a trend.” When asked about complaints, Dr. Drake answers with a simple “nothing.”
You’ll also feel more confident knowing that the Better Business Bureau, or BBB, gives PracticeSuite an A+ rating. That’s not a credential that the BBB bestows lightly, so you can feel comfortable doing business with this company.
If you’re looking for something more flexible and robust than a simple EMR, but you’re not willing to shell out thousands of dollars right now, PracticeSuite offers the perfect option. You can get comfortable with the software using the free version, then upgrade when you need the added functionality. To learn more, compare plans and pricing and get started with our trial edition.
