Without the help of technology, keep any kind of records can be a nightmare. Over time, the mountain of records just keep building and building, until the entire system becomes unmanageable. Records get lost or buried, and they become impossible to find. This happens to many businesses that require record keeping like medical practices or financial companies.



Aware of the benefits presented by technology, many medical practices are starting to adopt Electronic Medical Records systems. Such systems allow medical records to be filed away electronically so that they can be retrieved quickly and efficiently by anyone who needs access to the information.

In general, there are 3 types of EMR software solutions that a medical practice can choose to adopt.

1) Web based software solutions.

2) Custom built solutions

3) Off the shelf, standalone solutions.

Web based software solutions.

Web based software is easy to adopt. There is usually minimal installation and integration issues, and all you need is an Internet connection and you will be able to access the information you want to. The problem with web based software solutions is that since it is on a public network, there is always the concern of security. Medical records are private and sensitive information. So they should be kept as securely as possible. And the Internet hardly appears to be the ideal place.

Custom built solutions.

Custom built software solutions give you exactly what you want. You have full control over how the software works. Since you have the best understanding of how your business works, designing your custom built software seems to make sense. However, custom built software solutions often cost a lot more than other types of software solutions. That's because the solution is developed solely for you. Also, there is the development time frame to think about. A custom built software can take months or sometimes years to perfect.

Off the shelf, standalone solutions.

Given the drawbacks of the first two software options, off the shelf standalone solution seems to be the logical choice. The pricing is definitely much more affordable, and you get to use the software immediately.

Standalone EMR software may be developed by a programming language such as Java. They work on multiple operating systems like Windows, Mac, and even Linux. There are no additional components required, and all you have to do is to install the software in the computers.

Established EMR software often has a more comprehensive feature list. That means there is no need for you to define your own feature list. You just install and use. Some features that you should look out for include Automated data backup, E&M code suggestor, Intra-office instant messaging (great for communications), Patient scheduler, Patient tracker, Problem list and more.

When choosing EMR software, you can always evaluate the software by requesting for a trial period and access to any demo materials available. That way, you can make better decisions down the road.