5 ways to create a better patient experience while using an EHR

In today’s day and age, physicians are tasked with large amounts of data entry, participation in quality programs like MACRA, and operating a profitable business—not to mention providing high quality outcomes that allows them to focus on providing a better patient experience.

Amidst all of that activity, patients can sometimes feel like they are not the priority when it comes to their doctor's attention, and that's not okay!

To help you avoid this doctor-patient pitfall, here are five tips from CompuGroup Medical to ensure your focus as a physician is on your patient and, more importantly, that your patients feel the love.

1. Implement the “Golden Minute” to begin creating a better patient experience

Researchers at Pritzker School of Medicine advocate for a Golden Minute at the start of each visit. The two most important components of this opening exchange are eye contact and genuine conversation.

The emphasis placed on data capture via electronic health record (EHR) is understood, but did you know that for up to 60% of an average visit, the physician is engaged with the EHR?  That leaves approximately 1/3 of the visit for discussion focused on the patient.

Set the tone for your encounter by cultivating at least one Golden Minute.

2. Set better expectations for patients regarding EHR use

Help your patients understand why some of your focus will be on your computer or tablet during the visit.

Patient care is the priority and EHRs provide benefits. They:

• Provide accurate, up-to-date, and complete information about patients at the point of care
• Help providers more effectively diagnose patients, reduce medical errors, and provide safer care
• Enable safer, more reliable prescribing

In conjunction with the Golden Minute, setting the expectation that your EHR is an important part of safe and effective patient care will help provide the understanding that your focus is truly on the patient, even if you're looking at the screen.

3. Invest in EHR training and customization

Practices that invest in training are faster and more successful with their EHR utilization than practices that don’t. Research advises healthcare providers that to provide a better patient experience and healthier outcomes, they need to focus on "factors unique to individual physician use."

An ongoing commitment to training on new features and customization for rapid, precise charting will contribute to an overall positive user and patient experience.

4. Provide medication cost insights at the point of care

Patient encounters with their physician are increasingly considered a “customer experience” event and customers don’t generally like surprises.  Nearly 30% of patients do not take their prescribed medications due to high drug prices.

Adopt a powerful EHR such as CGM APRIMA that can provide the type of prescription drug cost insights your patients deserve. Discussing drug costs at the point of care allows you to prescribe the right medication or discuss alternatives that will fit into your patient's budget.

5. Simplify engagement with your patient portal for a better patient experience outside the office

Results from a recent healthcare study show that only 1/3 of the patient population uses a patient portal when it is available. It is incumbent upon your practice to raise awareness and instruct patients on the use and benefits of your patient portal.

The availability of care plans and medical records in addition to the two-way communication provided by patient portals opens an avenue to greater patient satisfaction and, in some cases, improved health outcomes.

In conclusion, the personal touch of genuine interaction and expectation setting along with EHR-enabled cost insights and communication are all ways to enhance the focus on your patients while utilizing an electronic health record.

Feel like your EHR is taking the focus away from your patients?

Contact us to ask for help.