Chiropractic EHR vs. EMR: What's the Difference?

Highlights

• EHRs and EMRs are the two primary types of records systems in chiropractic software.
• EMR stands for electronic medical record.
• EHR stands for electronic health record.
• The biggest difference between a chiropractic EHR and an EMR is that EHRs integrate with practice management software to include more features.

Chiropractic EHR vs EMR

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are the two primary types of digital record-keeping systems used in chiropractic practices.

Aren’t EHRs and EMRs the same thing?

While many people use the two terms interchangeably, there are basic differences between the two.

• EMR: An EMR essentially documents patient encounters, diagnoses, treatments, and medications. It’s essentially a digital version of a paper chart.
• EHR: An EHR is a more comprehensive system that integrates patient medical records, billing, scheduling, and other practice management functions. It offers a holistic view of a patient’s health information.

EMR is the older term, dating from the early days of maintaining electronic rather than paper medical records.

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 pushed healthcare providers to adopt electronic health records (EHRs) instead of paper documents.

Since then, not much has changed with EMRs. On the other hand, EHRs contain more comprehensive information that can easily be shared with patient care team members, regardless of their location.

The Paperless Chiropractor’s Office

While the computer revolution promised a paperless office, many chiropractic offices haven’t yet reached that goal.

If your patients’ files are still on paper, you may have experienced the panic that sets in when a patient’s file has gone missing. Or what if your files go up in smoke due to a natural disaster?

Patient data in paper form is irretrievable once lost.

If your practice still relies on paper, chiropractic EMR software or a chiropractic EHR system offers huge improvements.

Even if your physical computer system is gone, you can still retrieve your patient’s health records, business documents, and insurance paperwork from backup files or the cloud.

While either type of system can protect this information, an EHR has far more advantages than an EMR.

Chiropractic EHR Advantages

While both EMRs and EHRs can streamline your practice, an EHR offers a significant advantage due to its integrated features for improved efficiency, enhanced patient care, and secure communication.

Chiropractic EHRs improve efficiency through:

• • Streamlined workflows: EHRs automate routine tasks like appointment scheduling, billing, and insurance claims, saving time and reducing administrative burdens.
  • Quick access to patient information: With all patient data in one place, you can easily retrieve medical history, lab results, and imaging studies.

An EHR software can enhance patient care through:

• • Personalized treatment plans: EHRs enable you to create customized treatment plans based on a patient’s complete medical history.
  • Improved communication: Secure messaging and patient portals facilitate better communication between you and your patients.

You can increase your total revenue with an EHR and practice management software through:

• • Reduced errors: EHRs minimize errors in billing and coding, leading to fewer claim denials and faster reimbursements.
  • Enhanced practice management: Built-in practice management tools help you optimize scheduling, track patient demographics, and analyze financial performance.

Now more than ever, an EHR is important because it enhances security and compliance with:

• • Robust security measures: EHRs adhere to strict HIPAA regulations to protect sensitive patient information.
  • Data backup and recovery: Regular backups ensure data integrity and business continuity.

Chiropractic EMR Differences

A practice still using chiropractic EMRs today hasn’t evolved much beyond keeping paper records. Essentially, it’s the digital version of a patient’s paper chart.

Perhaps the best analogy for EMR vs. EHR is the cell phone. A decade ago, a flip phone met most of your needs. Considering that you can access the internet with your smartphone, make purchases, pay bills, and accomplish thousands of other tasks, would you willingly go back to a phone that simply lets you make calls?

It’s unlikely, and that’s why chiropractors don’t benefit from even the best 1990s technology in their 21st-century offices.

A practice relying on EMRs can access a patient’s medical records via the computer, but that’s about it. EMRs made for chiropractors cannot help your practice with billing, scheduling, or other critical aspects of patient care and business.

Choosing the Right System for Your Practice

In a quick search of recent trends for the two terms, search data appears to have determined a clear winner. Searches for information regarding EMRs far surpass searches for EHR, and that’s been true for years.

However, vendors have long since standardized the term “EHR” for their software. Since it would make more sense for EHR (given its integration capabilities) to prove the more popular choice, let’s examine why this doesn’t appear to be the case.

Part of this is cost and demographics.

Younger chiropractors, presumably familiar with tech since childhood, are more likely to become EHR adopters because they know their practice’s future lies in operations integration. However, at this stage of their career, they may not have the IT budget to support an EHR system.

Older chiropractors, who might recall when desktop computers were an innovation, may not adopt IT as aggressively. They might want to go paperless but don’t see the need to spend money on an integrated system at this stage of their profession. Their familiar standalone EMR meets their basic needs.

There is no wrong decision when choosing between an EMR and an EHR system.

Both systems eliminate paper charts and store patient information electronically. It’s a matter of deciding what’s right for your practice and your budget.

When selecting a chiropractic EHR, consider the following factors:

• Practice size and complexity: A smaller practice with few patients may benefit from a basic EMR, while a practice looking to grow may require a more comprehensive EHR.
• Budget: Evaluate the initial investment and ongoing costs, including software licensing, hardware, and potential IT support.
• Integration capabilities: Ensure the EHR can integrate with other software systems, such as billing software, laboratory systems, and imaging systems—or that the software already has these integrations.
• User-friendliness: A user-friendly interface can significantly improve adoption rates and efficiency among staff.
• Scalability: Choose an EHR that can grow with your practice as your patient load increases.

Benefits of Chiropractic EHRs and Practice Management Software

Most practitioners want practice management software to handle patient appointments, insurance, billing, and other day-to-day needs. Chiropractic EMR software does not have practice management integration abilities, but chiropractic EHR software does.

When you use integrated EHR and practice management software, you’re taking care of two of your most critical office needs at once, which positively impacts your staffing requirements and your bottom line.

If a patient’s data is stored in two different systems—an EMR and a separate practice management system—errors are more likely to occur than when the data is integrated into a single EHR system.

After transitioning to a chiropractic EHR, you’ll provide your patients with better care and service. There’s less chance of a vital piece of information, such as a patient’s allergies or medication list, getting lost or misfiled.

When you have comprehensive information about a patient in one place, it’s more probable that you will make the correct diagnosis, devise the right treatment plan, and get paid promptly with fewer denials.

Another plus to EHR chiropractic software involves getting your patient in the door in the first place. An EHR system may include features that allow potential patients to find your practice on their phones, read reviews, and even book an appointment. Those are things an EMR system can’t do.

A modern EHR also allows your staff to send automated appointment reminder emails, texts, and other information you’d like to share with patients. So, there are no more appointment reminders by phone call, less likelihood of no-shows, and subsequently lost income.

ChiroTouch’s Completely Integrated Chiropractic EHR

ChiroTouch’s chiropractic EHR is a fully integrated solution that you can tailor to meet your practice’s needs.

The many productivity- and revenue-boosting features of ChiroTouch include:

• All-in-one dashboard for fast and easy access to all data
• Online scheduling
• Multi-provider calendars
• Charting macros for 15-second SOAP notes
• Case management features
• Multiple payment options that post directly to your ledger
• Fully integrated claim management
• Automated patient communication and engagement tools
• Advanced reporting features with actionable charts and insights

With ChiroTouch, you will have confidence in your documents while you and your staff will have more time to focus on patient care.

EMR vs EHR FAQs

What is the difference between an EHR and an EMR? While EMRs focus on clinical documentation, EHRs offer a broader range of features, including practice management, billing, and patient engagement.

How much does an EHR system cost? The cost of an EHR varies depending on the features, vendor, and practice size. However, many EHR vendors offer flexible pricing plans to accommodate different budgets.

Is an EHR right for my practice? An EHR is a valuable investment if you’re looking to improve efficiency, enhance patient care, and increase revenue.