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Benefits of Electronic Health Records

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Electronic Health Records play a vital role in operations, workflow, client/patient care, billing, and so much more for solo providers, large organizations, and everyone in between. The impact that a quality behavioral health EHR can have includes: 

Client/Patient Engagement 

With more direct access to their own information, individuals start to play a more active role in their care, and a domino effect occurs as a result. In behavioral health, by providing your clients access to their charts, you give them agency regarding their care. They gain a better understanding of what progress they have made with their provider, the ability to review treatment plans so they can stay on track, and have a solid starting point for bringing up questions and concerns. Research has pointed to the positive impact of client engagement on adherence to treatment plans, attendance, and much more. EHRs now play a paramount role in improving the involvement of clients. 

Quick Access

Fast access to client/patient information enables behavioral health providers to offer more coordinated and efficient care to those they work with. Rather than shuffle through a paper chart, providers can locate the data they need in seconds. Digital charts enable behavioral health providers to quickly view what they need to effectively help those seeking services at their organization. 

Information Exchange

Electronic Health Records make sharing an individual’s records with another mental health, behavioral health, or healthcare provider faster and easier. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)/Interoperability tools make it possible to exchange digital documents between organizations. Providers often have to refer their clients outwards to other organizations to provide them with the care they need. To help the individual get the care they deserve, their provider needs to have access to all of their previous history. EHRs make this simple.

Higher Security

Quality EHR software has been developed to offer the highest level of security possible for protected information. Whether you are exchanging protected health information (PHI) with another organization or you need to protect yourself from data breaches, EHRs are required to offer high-level security. 

Increased Accuracy

Paper charts are notorious for being inaccurate sources of information. Unreadable handwriting leads to poor transcription or misunderstandings that have a long-term negative impact on client/patient care. Electronic health records allow providers to reference a detailed history of past encounters, view accurate demographic information, and make well-informed decisions with high-level accuracy. 

Improved Service Coordination

EHRs, along with other Health Information Technology (HIT), can enhance service coordination for clients working with multiple providers. Interoperability and better information sharing enable a client’s network of providers to communicate and plan together more effectively. This has a lasting impact on the quality of that individual’s mental and physical health care. 

Quick Communication/Crisis Response

Quickly communicating with a behavioral health provider (and vice versa) is an incredible resource during a mental/behavioral health crisis. Whether on mobile devices or via computer login, individuals can reach out to their providers should they experience a mental health crisis. Providers can quickly respond and put any necessary actions in motion so that they can get the help they need. This efficient communication can save lives. 

Improved Overall Care

Electronic Health Records have endless capabilities that enable behavioral health workers to stay on top of the details, making the best decisions they can for the people they care for. With coordinated, effective workflows in place, providers can increase the quality of the care they can deliver and improve outcomes over time. 

Increase Client Satisfaction

Whether or not your client is satisfied plays a considerable role in whether or not they continue to come to you for care, recommend your organization to others, and stay engaged in their care process. EHRs are proven to increase client satisfaction through increased access to information, communication, and resources that set them up for success. 

So Much More

The benefits of a quality behavioral health Electronic Health Records are endless, and the real challenge is finding everything you need to experience those benefits effectively. Not every EHR is the same. Find a software vendor created with mental and behavioral health providers in mind. Tools like these have been curated for this specialty, for all different sizes and types of organizations, to create a seamless experience and improve a wide variety of client care, administrative, and billing processes. 

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