Orthopedic clinics often use a wide variety of software in their day-to-day operations. From patient check-in solutions to Practice Management (PM), Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), telemedicine solutions, and Electronic Health Records (EHR) solutions, there is no shortage of software solutions for orthopedic practices to master.
However, not all orthopedic software is created equally. Many orthopedic clinics try to get by with software meant for primary care facilities that serve numerous medical specializations. This results in reduced efficiency—keeping the clinic from realizing the full benefits of using software in the first place.
To achieve the best results, orthopedists need software that is optimized for orthopedic clinics. There are two kinds of such software: Orthopedic-specific software and orthopedic-exclusive software. In this blog, we’ll cover a bit of basic information about EHR programs and the distinction between an orthopedic-specific and an orthopedic-exclusive EHR.
What Is an EHR?
An EHR is a type of electronic charting solution used by organizations in the healthcare/medical industry. EHRs help with tasks like storing and retrieving basic patient information, storing notes on patient visits and diagnoses, and recording dates of treatment (and treatment providers), among other things.
Specific capabilities for an EHR will vary from one vendor to the next, so it’s important to speak with prospective vendors to learn about the full suite of capabilities their solution offers as well as whatever supplemental modules/services they have that interface with their EHR.
What’s the Difference between Orthopedic-Specific and Orthopedic-Exclusive EHRs?
So, what is the difference between orthopedic-specific and orthopedic-exclusive EHR software? Both are EHRs that are optimized for use in an orthopedic practice—helping orthopedists save time and effort by presenting them only with the forms and information they need for their specialization.
The major difference is in the vendor behind the EHR software. There are vendors who advertise their EHR as orthopedic-specific, but they may also have ophthalmology-specific, oncology-specific, or primary care solutions as well.
Because of this, users of the software never know just how much of the EHR vendor’s time and resources are being put into their orthopedic product.
Meanwhile, an orthopedic-exclusive EHR is from a vendor who only works with orthopedic practices. This means 100% of the vendor’s time and resources are being spent on updating orthopedic software features—not any other kind of specialty’s features. So, orthopedic practices can rest easy knowing that their vendor’s focus is on THEIR needs.
This focus enables ortho-exclusive software vendors to help their customers save even more time and effort on patient interactions and post-visit paperwork by streamlining everything to show only what orthopedists need. This is why Phoenix Ortho is proud to be the only orthopedic-exclusive EHR vendor—because we give our orthopedic clients our all every day!
How to Know When You Need an Ortho-Exclusive EHR Software
So, why would you need an orthopedic-exclusive over a software program that is more generalized for primary care facilities? You might need software from an orthopedic exclusive vendor if:
- Your Other Software Keeps Causing Delays. One of the biggest problems with software that isn’t optimized for use in your specialty is that it can cause a lot of little delays. For example, instead of your most commonly-used report template being one of the top five in a dropdown in the software interface, it’s 90 items down the list because forms for other specialties are displacing it. So, you have to scroll down every time. This wastes a lot of time.
- Updates for Your Software Lag Behind Industry Changes. There are numerous things that can change with little to no warning—such as the billing codes that specific payer organizations accept, regulations on how specific services can be billed, and more. If your EHR vendor is lagging behind industry changes, it might be time to switch to one that is more focused on your needs.
- You Only Work in Orthopedics. Is your practice part of a large, multidisciplinary hospital or other organization, or is it a purely orthopedic practice? If you only work in orthopedics, it’s necessary to have an EHR that’s as focused as your practice.
When Would a Multidisciplinary Software Work?
Not every orthopedist will be able to acquire an orthopedic-exclusive (or even an orthopedic-specific) EHR. For example, when practicing orthopedic medicine as part of a larger primary care facility as an on-call or permanent staff specialist, you may be stuck with the facility’s EHR—even if it’s a primary care or multidisciplinary solution that doesn’t really fit your needs.
EHRs that serve multiple specialties work best for facilities that house several different types of specialists who frequently need to share information. However, for an orthopedist operating in a specialty clinic, the choice is clear: orthopedic software meant only for your specialty is a must!
Get an Orthopedic-Exclusive Solution Now!
If you need software solutions meant for orthopedics, reach out to Phoenix Ortho today! As the only orthopedic-exclusive EHR vendor, we’re focused on your needs—not the needs of other types of medical practices.
Because of this laser focus on orthopedics, our EHR and other solutions help orthopedic doctors save more time and effort on every patient visit. Reclaim your day by using Phoenix Ortho EHR in your practice now!
