Professional Records Management Services Help Meet EMR Deadlines

Professional Records Management Services Help Meet EMR Deadlines

Healthcare providers spend thousands of dollars each year storing and managing their patient records--both in digital and paper form--and costs are only expected to rise in the future. To help reduce these costs, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides Medicare reimbursement incentives.

However, to continue to receive their existing reimbursements, the law requires healthcare providers to implement an electronic medical records (EMR) system by January 1, 2014. Failure to demonstrate "meaningful use" by the EMR deadline will result in a 1 percent reduction in Medicare reimbursements in 2015, with penalties expected to increase in coming years.

With the deadline quickly approaching, it's critical for healthcare providers to quickly and effectively make the move to an EMR system. Medical offices in the local area can get help from a professional records management company with experience managing the transition to electronic medical records.

The Challenge of Electronic Medical Records

There is a lot of pressure for a medical office to have rapid access to its records, which is why most store them on-site. With the government reimbursement incentives in place, more medical offices are taking the steps to eliminate paper records and adopt an electronic medical records system. Unfortunately, making the transition is not a simple process for most medical offices. They must:

• Manage inconsistencies found in common paper filing systems

• Waste time, resources, and money to have employees handle document scanning

• Implement a workflow system that can adapt to both paper and digital medical records

• Provide fast and easy access to records

• Safeguard records being handled in large volumes

Accomplishing all of this quickly, securely, and affordably, not to mention ensuring compliance with HIPAA, is a huge challenge for most healthcare providers. Fortunately, a professional records management service can streamline the entire electronic medical records process so providers can focus on caring for patients.

Bridging the Gap Between Paper and Electronic Medical Records

Regardless of when a medical office starts the transition to electronic records, a hybrid storage system of paper and electronic records will be used for some time. The transition is not something that can be done overnight but, with the deadline quickly approaching, medical offices need to work as fast as possible to meet the EMR guidelines to receive their incentives.

Professional records management companies help bridge the gap between paper and electronic medical records, simplifying and expediting the transition process. They assist with digitizing patient files, creating an accurate archiving system, and protecting medical records from damage due to a natural disaster or theft. Medical offices that use a medical records management professional can also take advantage of its additional services, including safe and green destruction of paper medical records.

What to Look For

Medical offices under the EMR deadlines need to be proactive to find a professional records management service that can make the digital transition as seamless as possible. A reputable records manager can also help a medical office comply with all healthcare regulations, using best practices to:

• Transition the office into an approved EMR system

• Create a digitized storage system that quickly retrieves patient information

• Increase storage savings

• Ensure EMR and HIPAA compliance

If you're a local healthcare provider that's starting to get nervous about the approaching EMR deadline, you can count on a records management service to help make the transition from paper records to electronic records easier and less expensive. A professional records management company has EMR experts that use best practices and ensure 100 percent compliance so your medical office can make a successful switch. It also provides medical record storage for paper files that still need to be kept on-hand, and offers scheduled destruction services to dispose of records when they're no longer needed.

Learn more about the ways in which Admiral Records Management can streamline your transition to electronic medical records -and make sure you meet the EMR deadline-by visiting http://www.AdmiralRecordsManagement.com or calling 877.816.5430.

Scott McNelley is the CEO of Admiral Movers and Admiral Records Management. Known as the elite residential and commercial moving company in Montgomery, Alabama, Admiral Movers specializes in total office move management. Admiral Records Management is Montgomery's leading expert in secure chain of custody and records transfer, shredding, scanning, and document storage. Together, Admiral Movers and Admiral Records Management provide organizations with comprehensive move management solutions that not only include moving physical assets, but also the sensitive information that must be diligently protected during an office move to reduce client liability and prevent data breaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Scott_McNelley/1444600

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_(By Scott McNelley).