Staff
Report

Regulatory Compliance Assistance

Reduction of Time Spent on Paperwork

Increased Accuracy

Improved Patient Safety

A More Modern and Professional Business Image

More Cost-effective Advertising and Promotions

Ability to Generate Invoices and Track Financial Activity

Ability to Interface with Other Computer Systems and Equipment

Remote Access to Data via Internet

Flexible Reporting Capabilities

Computerizing your occupational healthcare clinic probably sounds like a good idea. After all, everybody else is doing it, and you wouldn’t want to be thought of as anything less than up-to-date with current trends. But do you really understand the potential benefits of using computers in your operation? If not, the time to understand those benefits is before you acquire a system. This knowledge is crucial in each of three very important phases of computer acquisition:

1. Convincing management and co-workers to buy into the project.

2. Selecting the appropriate software package(s) to use.

3. Determining if you are obtaining the benefits you anticipated and, ultimately, whether or not you are using your computer system successfully.

Exactly what benefits you obtain will vary, depending on the software you install and how well that software is used. But in general, the benefits of computerization should include the following:

The right software will virtually eliminate handwritten records, which can be difficult to read and hard to keep organized. Using computer-generated forms can eliminate the need to keep expensive, pre-printed forms on hand. It allows you to reprint forms if the hard copy has been lost or misplaced, and quickly generate customized reports based on the latest data contained in the system. Information kept in this manner is more readily accessible than paper files kept in filing cabinets, and can reduce the amount of filing done in your office.

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Your system should provide password security that only allows pre-approved personnel to use it. It should also have the ability to limit each user’s access to the areas of the system in which they must complete their work, and further restrict the types of actions they can take while working in those areas. It should also have a locking screen saver or similar mechanism that hides the screen from unauthorized viewers when the operator leaves the computer.

Working within a computer system imposes a structure and methodology within your workplace. All procedures—both general and company-specific—can be recorded and referenced whenever needed. The entire patient visit becomes easier to control and process when your software mirrors your clinic’s workflow. And details that may have become lost in a manual system are easier to record and track when using computers to facilitate the process.

In addition to increasing quality control, a good information system can be a valuable tool in a Process Improvement Program. Software features and reporting capabilities can directly or indirectly support the standards of accreditation agencies such as JCAHO or CARF. This support for quality control is particularly true in the areas of patient care and tracking, but it can apply to billing for care or services delivered as well. It is very important that the billing component of your software system should prevent you from billing for services that have not been rendered.

Most computer systems allow information to flow through the system, so data from one area of the system are automatically filled into forms in another. For example, while working in a specific patient’s records, his or her name and social security number should automatically fill into each new form that is opened for that patient, reducing the amount of time spent on data entry. The use of template forms and pre-defined categories in areas such as discharge instructions and work restrictions facilitates data entry without limiting input options.

Screens should check the validity of data entered into fields whenever possible, using error messages that question the accuracy of information that has been entered, if discrepancies seem possible. Required fields also facilitate accuracy, by ensuring that necessary data are entered onto screens before the data can be saved. Lookup capabilities and drop-down menus also guarantee that the correct data are entered in the correct place.

Functions such as computerized order entry, and patient discharge instruction reports can do much to reduce errors in patient care, because handwritten orders and instructions often lead to misunderstandings due to illegibility. Additionally, system warning flag capabilities can alert staff to crucial patient information such as known drug allergies or the need for translation services.

Presenting information that is neatly printed in an easy-to-read format is an effective way to enhance your professional image. Being able to generate that information quickly and accurately is another. Data can be sent electronically from your computer either via e-mail or fax, if you have those communication capabilities, so reports can be delivered promptly.

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If your facility does case management, the ability to track return-to-work statistics is a tool that your sales staff can use to keep current client companies informed and sell new customers on the effectiveness of your services. Clinical and financial outcome data can be reported to both current and potential customers while maintaining confidentiality. Statistical data covering a variety of other topics can be exported to spreadsheet software for enhancement or customized treatment. Mass mailings to your customers can be generated easily.

Billing is a very important part of any occupational healthcare facility’s operation. You computer system should provide easy-to-use, comprehensive, and flexible billing and generate standard HCFA and UB invoices. It should be able to automatically apply appropriate discounts whenever applicable. It should also have the ability to facilitate the collection of those invoices by generating standard collection letters and moving outstanding invoices through various phases of the collection process. And you should be able to generate financial reports on any timetable that is appropriate for your facility.

Now that electronic communications are commonplace, the more data that can be sent or received electronically, the better. Your computer should be able to accept data that are imported from other computers as well as testing equipment, significantly reducing labor. Your system should also be able to export data so that you can transfer financial data directly into spreadsheet software or send bills and supporting documentation in electronic format.

Not only should you be able to operate your software remotely; you should also be able to provide your client companies with the ability to access the data they need remotely. The security features of your system should restrict client access to view-only rights to their own data. Clients and/or insurance companies and physicians can then access necessary information via the Internet, at their convenience, reducing the number of requests for such information, giving your staff more time to concentrate on your patients.

Using a computer system will allow you to amass large quantities of data on a variety of topics, such as the number and type of injuries you are treating for your client companies, or the lapse of time between patient arrival and the time the patient is seen. Your system’s reporting capabilities should be flexible enough to allow you to define the type of report you want to generate, in order to turn that data into information that your clinic and your customers can use.

These are only some of the benefits you could expect from using practice management software in your clinic. Use this list to help identify the benefits that are most important to your operation, adding any that may be unique to your situation. Keep those benefits in mind when you select, implement, and use your software system, and you will be more likely to actually attain them, thereby getting the most from your investment. 

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