‍Navigating the EMR Maze - Simplifying EMR choices for the modern doctor‍

As doctors , our lives revolve around making the right choices - be it the right medication , right treatment plan , right surgical approach or the right diagnostic approach . So when it comes to digitising our clinical practice we naturally would want to  choose the right and best EMR out there.

In India, the unprecedented pace at which the healthcare landscape is changing there are several EHR/EMR providers trying to grab their share of the market, each with their own set of features and frills . With the widespread buffet of all these EMRs it can be quite overwhelming to identify what suits your clinical practice.

All EMRs serve the basic needs of any clinic or practice, but are they able to address specialised use cases and provide tailor made solutions for your clinical practice.?

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What are the core features you should look for? 

These are the elementary features that will come with any popular Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software. The standard expectations with any patient management software available in the Indian market are listed below. These are the basic functionalities that form the foundation for every EMR system.

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The above features are a good checklist , for you to decide if an EMR is solving for your basic clinic needs, be it on the administrative side ,business side or the clinical side.

What extra edge should you look for in a good EMR?

Is it medically aware ?

• Speciality-specific prescription templates, intelligent auto-suggestions and integrated calculators, EMRs can turn intricate workflows into harmonious processes reducing prescription errors to a minimum with maximum efficiency.

Is it transforming the patient experience ?

• If your EMR can ensure a secure access point to health records and you as their doctor through the patient portal software, it helps build a holistic doctor patient rapport which stands the test of time
• Smart Lab reports is a feature which extracts information from conventional lab reports into your digital Rx in a structured,  transparent and quick way, saving you the effort and manual errors. 
• Concierge services - An all-rounded patient experience where lab tests and medicines are provided as a premium service at the patient’s home with the option to choose from multiple vendors in the market is a good add on.

Makes your practice futuristic

• ABHA plays a key role to drive a UPI kind of moment in health, seamless exchange of medical information across all healthcare providers is one out of many benefits of ABDM.Along with this, one gets to also benefit from the DHIS Scheme which incentivises doctors to go digital. So ensuring your EMR provider is already ABDM compliant is a good checkbox to tick.
• Process for accurate and comprehensive documentation with coding using established nomenclatures like SNOMED CT, LOINC and ICD Coding will form the backbone of advanced analytics.

AI-powered insight-driven decision-making

• AI assistance can not only improve better patient outcomes but also ensure a thorough documentation which protects you from liabilities in future.
• AI-powered visit summaries, voice-to-text capabilities, chatbot assistance are some of the AI features provided in some EMRs that can transform how you run your practice.

The table below shows some of the top EMR players in India currently and their varied features.The pricing for each of these EMRs starts from anywhere around 12,000 per annum and upwards depending on the kind of service you choose for your clinic

How to Choose the Right EMR/EHR for Your Practice

Here are the 5 questions you must ask while selecting your EMR

• Does it serve my speciality and use case well 
• Is it going to make me more efficient 
• Is it going to add to my patient experience 
• Is it giving me actionable insights on both the business and clinical side
• Is it reducing the chances of prescription errors 

Before finalising your software it's absolutely crucial you do your research, be it by taking demos or trial versions. 

Choosing an EMR is not just about the “bells and whistles”; it's about selecting a partner who understands your organisation and your clinical practice well, and aligns with what you believe will be right for longevity.