All gynecology practices, large and small, need a good image management system. Billing regulations, accessibility and connectivity have moved the medical field past the days of paper records, but these factors have also made it more complicated to reliably secure data and images on hard drives and CDs. As a result of recent malware and ransomware attacks, the healthcare community is looking to new solutions for medical record and image storage.
Choosing the Right Image Management System for Your Practice
Any practice that has looked into upgrading its software systems to increase efficiency and better manage its compliance knows that choosing the right product can be difficult. Here are four key elements to consider when looking for the right image management system for your practice.
1. The Right Fit
The first consideration in a practice's decision to integrate an image management system is budget. Many practices that are low on capital or just starting out should ensure they buy only what they need. A system designed for a large practice might be unsuitable for a small one in terms of both budget and scale. If a system is customizable, the business gets exactly what it needs. Similarly, if the system is scalable, it can grow with the practice.
2. Efficiency
Every medical practice has slogged through the introduction of a new software program that is supposed to increase efficiency but turns out to be burdensome and time-consuming. Maybe the program promised to improve compliance, for example, but efficiency fell by the wayside.
Solutions that are easily accessible, integrated directly with electronic medical records and installed in the ultrasound systems themselves actually improve both compliance and efficiency. Programs such as ViewPoint streamline processes for providers by reducing manual and duplicate data entry as well as dictation. Gynecologists know the importance of quick turnaround times on diagnostic reports, and any system upgrade should deliver this benefit.
3. Billing Compliance
Ultrasound scans must be stored within the patient's medical record, and storage must be redundant to meet federal billing regulations. A stand-alone ultrasound system that does not integrate with the medical record can create billing nightmares and lead to charges that are not reimbursable. A good image management system is programmed to automatically file the scans where they are supposed to go.
These solutions also allow easy remote access, file transfer and even cloud storage. Tricefy answers these needs with seamless integration, putting reports and images as close as the nearest smart device.
4. HIPAA Compliance and Security
Even if medical care is provided efficiently and to patients' satisfaction, HIPAA violations can break both a practice's budget and its reputation. System upgrades should have built-in security features to keep these often innocent mistakes from happening, and programs should have automatic redundancy when storing images. If stored in the cloud, images should be secured with encryption. These features ensure that providers are able to focus on patient care rather than worry about the security and accessibility of their records.
By integrating a records management system with customized workflow solutions and exceptional IT integration built-in, a gynecology practice can trust that its records are secure and accessible. It can also take full advantage of an ultrasound department, which will drive revenue and become an integral part of the business.
