Internal medicine plays a significant role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases. However, the industry-specific challenges such as escalating costs, ICD-10 codes, declining reimbursements and the administrative problems are making it increasingly difficult for these practices to survive.
As internists look for solutions to overcome these problems, adopting new strategies like implementing emerging technologies or replacing legacy systems help boost their efficiency and profitability.
From a vast array of technologies, here are some technology trends which can improve the efficiency and profitability of internal medicine practices.
Many medical practices are looking for economical healthcare IT solutions such as electronic health records (EHRs), practice management systems and others. Many healthcare providers are now adopting cloud-based services due to their relative affordability and accessibility. Cloud-based software don't involve costs associated with client-server systems. They provide automatic updates that are usually free and integrate seamlessly with other related systems. Cloud-based solutions can easily be accessed from anywhere. These software can potentially increase the productivity and accessibility while decreasing operating costs.
Internists spend over 15 hours weekly on administrative tasks and paperwork. As a result, it's even more important for them to maximize efficiency. As a stand-alone system both, the practice management and EHR systems deliver efficiency. However, when these systems are integrated their benefits multiply. Users will no longer need to enter the same data in two separate systems. Integrated systems link smoothly so the information entered in one reflects in the other. This results in more efficiency and accuracy. Adopting an integrated system doesn't require developing an interface between different systems, thereby making it a more cost-effective choice.
Patient portals are effective for internists due to the scope and duration of the treatment they extend to their patients. Portals provide patients with easy access to their health records and lab results. Patients can also schedule appointments and request prescription refills online. This reduces the number of inquiry calls from patients. Patient portals also drive stronger patient engagement and strengthen the physician-patient relationship.
Physicians are now using tablets for sending emails, checking their schedules and educating patients. Mobile solutions improve workflow, increase productivity and collaboration. Mobile technologies play an important role in patient care and accessibility.
Business analytics is one of the core competencies in a healthcare environment. Analytical tools help internists take informed decisions to boost their efficiency and profitability. They address financial and operational components such as contract negotiations, facility management, resource utilization, and cost analysis. Business analytics offer insights into the physician's quality, performance improvement, and patient outcomes.
MedicalBillersandCoders.com has been helping small to medium size internal medicine practitioners in billing and coding, so that they can solely focus on providing healthcare. MBC is a distinguished platform for outsourcing your internal medicine billing and coding management cycle. Their professionals are proficient in using billing software such as EHR Software: NextGen Healthcare, Epic, Cerner, AthenaOne, NueMD, TherapyNotes, DrChrono, eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, Athenahealth, Practice Fusion, TherapyNotes etc, and encoding diagnosis and treatment procedures documents into the latest compliant codes (ICD-9-CM, CPT & HCPCS codes). Outsourcing your internal medicine billing services to MBC's tech-savvy billers and coders can ensure error-free coding, faster and denial free submission of claims.
