6 Advantages of Cloud-Based EHR Systems for Optometrists
Highlights
- Optometrists need user-friendly, cost-effective, scalable solutions for electronic health records and data sharing.
- The leaner, more turnkey solutions provided by top cloud-based EHR systems are better suited to optometry practices than traditional on-site EHR-system hosting.
Electronic health records have been around in some form for decades, but only in relatively recent years have the systems designed to manage them become sophisticated enough to offer bolstered productivity, improved patient-provider interactions, and streamlined workflows. It’s no wonder, then, that optometrists everywhere have begun implementing them in their businesses.
There are two main types of EHR systems: on-site and cloud-based. The first is, as the name implies, hosted on the business’ premises on a dedicated server managed by the vendor on behalf of the business or customer. The second relies on the internet to host and store system software and data on off-site remote servers accessed through the web.
Owing to their distinct needs, optometry practices benefit most from using cloud-based EHR systems.
The sections that follow detail the six major advantages for optometrists of using cloud-based EHR systems.
1. Faster, Easier Implementation
With the optometry market set to grow 14.8% by 2027, optometrists need new digital systems up and running quickly. Here, cloud-based EHR systems have the clear advantage over their on-site counterparts. Because they are internet-based, there’s no hardware or software to install, saving hours of preliminary work and potential installation problems.
“The ease of deploying a cloud EHR solution is also a bonus for smaller organizations who may not have well-staffed IT teams to manage a full-fledged on premise EHR implementation,” writes Kate Monica in an article for EHRIntelligence. “Simple go-lives can mitigate the stress of a new EHR implementation and help to buoy provider satisfaction.”
2. Seamless Upgrades
When your optometry practice uses a cloud-based EHR system, you can forget about periodic, lengthy updates and data backups, efforts that can disrupt business and greatly increase patient wait times.
Unlike on-site-hosted EHR systems, cloud-based EHR systems are capable of conducting scheduled, automated updates and backups, often during off hours, so there’s no interruption in patient care.
Cloud-based EHR systems automatically update security patches and upgrade to new software versions. An optometrist’s business will always be operating on the latest available system version, ensuring accuracy and security for their patients without the need for IT support.
3. Increased Scalability
With a cloud-based EHR system, a growing optometry practice can expand without the usual technology-related kinks. Cloud-based systems allow optometrists to easily add new patients, staff, service lines, providers, and/or locations anywhere there’s an internet connection, from any connected device. And with virtually unlimited numbers of off-site servers to host data, the sky’s the limit when it comes to capacity.
What’s more, with a cloud-based system, additional user accounts and workstations can be added any time — without the reconfiguration of an internal network that on-site EHR systems require.
As an optometrist’s practice grows, so, too, can their cloud-based EHR system.
4. Lower Costs
Price plays no small part in choosing an EHR system. Particularly in the case of independent or new optometry practices, financial bounceback from the implementation of an on-site EHR system can be a struggle.
“A lot of these [on-site] systems, you have to buy the hardware, the software,” Steve Kelley, CEO of Ellenville Regional Hospital in Ellenville, N.Y., told EHRIntelligence. “You have to install all that stuff — millions of dollars — and you have to install all these licenses, which are typically paid for up-front.
In this area, too, cloud-based optometry EHR systems lead the pack. Because they store data and deploy software off-site, cloud-based EHR systems frequently cost far less in initial outlay than on-site EHR systems, which require pricey hardware, server space, and dedicated technology personnel.
What’s more, because you don’t need to maintain a server on your premises and backups and upgrades are automatic, there’s no need for internal IT support.
Going with a web-based alternative helps an optometry practice save money and focus on increasing its bottom line.
5. Better Interoperability
Fast, easy, and secure data-sharing capabilities are a necessity in today’s healthcare landscape “due to increasing interest in patient engagement, care coordination, [and] telehealth,” writes Jennifer Bresnick in a HealthIT Analytics article. The cloud is innately better suited to secure, seamless data sharing than on-premise EHRs because its usability is far superior.
Ease of use leads to better data exchange, which leads to improved patient/customer outcomes.
“Physicians need to share clinical data with labs, referring physicians, and payers and doing this manually can be difficult and time-consuming,” writes Julie Clements in an article for MOS Medical Transcription Services. “Cloud-based interoperability allows all parties to connect and share healthcare information efficiently and securely to improve the patient experience.”
6. Improved Security
Digital security is top of mind for businesses these days, and rightly so. Healthcare breach costs have increased 53.3% since 2020, an increase of 15% in three years that has cost the industry $10.93 million. Because optometrists routinely handle medical records, their businesses require an extra layer of HIPAA-compliant security.
For the most secure storage of an optometry practice’s data, a web-based EHR system is the way forward. Generally speaking, cloud-based EHR systems are superior to on-site EHRs with regard to security.
“Cloud services can offer better security and privacy for health data and health systems,” reads a white paper by the Cloud Working Group (formerly the Cloud Standards Customer Council).
“Cloud service provider data centers are typically highly secure and well protected against outsider and insider threats using administrative, physical and technical methods implemented and maintained by expert professional staff. Cloud services can offer sophisticated security controls, including data encryption and fine-grained access controls and access logging.”
RevolutionEHR: An All-in-One Cloud-Base EHR System
Cloud-based EHR and practice management software is increasingly becoming indispensable to optometrists. If you’re not convinced, take a closer look at RevolutionEHR.
RevolutionEHR is an all-in-one cloud-based EHR system that’s designed specifically for optometry practices. This platform has all the features you need to simplify workflows and provide better patient care, including:
Simple Implementation
RevolutionEHR offers a simple, user-friendly implementation process. This includes an easy-to-navigate interface and a flexible data entry process for staff. The system also provides extensive training resources and access to a team of customer service specialists for a smooth transition.
When surveyed, 98% of organizations using RevolutionEHR reported high professionalism from our support team.
Seamless Upgrades
The platform provides seamless upgrades as part of its service. RevolutionEHR includes all software features, updates, management, security, and data backup hosted in its data center. This eliminates the need for manual system configurations, ensuring you always have the latest features and security updates.
Scalability
RevolutionEHR’s practice management system offers scalability to cater to the growing needs of your optometric practice. This includes features like scheduling, accounting, patient recall lists, and claims submissions via integrated clearinghouses.
In a customer survey, 54% of practices said they improved staff coordination after implementing RevolutionEHR. This can help boost efficiency and meet your practice growth goals. Additionally, 72% of those surveyed saw good improvement with scheduling, further enabling them to scale their business.
With RevolutionEHR, you can add services based on your practice needs. For instance, subscribe to RevAspire for help with MIPS reporting requirements or RevIntake to simplify patient intake at your expanding practice. Or keep the software’s standard features until you know what add-ons can benefit you most.
Flexible Pricing
RevolutionEHR has a flexible, monthly subscription pricing model. Based on the number of doctors in your practice, it provides unlimited access to RevolutionEHR for all staff across locations and devices. This model allows for cost-effective scaling of services as practices grow. Add-on services allow you to pay only for what you need — and nothing you don’t.
Secure Data Sharing
RevolutionEHR offers a personal health record system with secure patient access and integrated secure patient messaging. This system allows for online patient history entry, access to order status and account balance, and online appointment scheduling, ensuring secure and efficient communication between patients, providers, and staff.
Strong Security Measures
RevolutionEHR features cloud-based security measures, like user-specific access and restrictions, SHA-256 encryption for HIPAA compliance, and a web-stored document management system. This ensures secure, private handling of sensitive patient data.
RevoutionEHR has a reputation as the best cloud-based EHR for optometrists. In a customer survey, 89% of those surveyed said they switched because of the system’s trustworthy reputation, driven by online reviews or referrals from colleagues.
Schedule Your Demo Today
RevolutionEHR has all the advantages mentioned above and more. Designed specifically for optometrists, RevolutionEHR offers a single, secure, cloud-based software platform to increase your practice’s efficiency — anytime, anywhere, from any connected device.
See what RevolutionEHR can do for you and your patients. Request a free demo today.
