Choosing an EHR for Behavioral Health Practice Needs

Understanding the differences between Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and practice management systems is crucial for healthcare providers looking to improve their operations. These two types of software serve distinct roles in healthcare settings, yet they can complement each other in impactful ways.

The importance of efficient and tailored Electronic Medical Records (EMR) cannot be overstated in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. For doctors who make rounds in skilled nursing facilities and Long-Term Post-Acute Care (LTPAC) settings, choosing the right EMR system is a decision that can significantly impact patient care, workflow, and overall outcomes. In this blog, we will explore why opting for an EMR explicitly designed for these settings is crucial and how ChartPath, at chartpath.com, offers a solution tailored to these unique needs.

Data is the lifeblood of long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) practices. Patients with chronic and complex health conditions often have extensive medical records from multiple clinicians and facilities. Many LTPAC organizations use electronic health records (EHRs) to process and share this data. These digital files allow staff to provide the best and most accurate care. Choosing a quality EHR platform can feel exciting but stressful. Our handy EHR guide reviews 21 features to look for when selecting an EHR.

Change is an inevitable aspect of progress, and the healthcare industry is no exception. In the ever-evolving medical landscape, Long Term Post-Acute Care providers (LTPACs) increasingly rely on Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems to enhance patient care. However, resistance from healthcare professionals and staff remains a significant obstacle, even in 2023. This resistance manifests in various forms, including reluctance to adapt to new workflows, fear of technology, and concerns about patient privacy.

Learn everything you need to know about changes to the MIPS 2023 quality measures. 

Your long-term care (LTC) charting system affects every part of your practice, from clinicians to admin staff. Clinicians spend 1.84 hours each day using EHR software, so it’s the one tool that has the potential to cause major headaches and chaos if you get it wrong. Careful consideration of a few key factors and features can help you refine your search and find the best solution for your practice.

Implementing an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system can present several challenges. Learn about those challenges and how to overcome them/

Getting patients to accept the benefits of medication for their mental health issues can be challenging. There’s often a lot of trial and error that comes with finding the right dosage level to help them regulate symptoms. You may discover that reducing a patient’s reliance on specific medicines is beneficial. Gradual dose reduction (GDR) progressively minimizes a patient’s medication levels over time.

Practices focusing on long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) constantly battle with claim rejections and denials. These claim denials increase billing expenses and cause harm to revenue cycle management. Submitting clean claims with a high first-pass approval rate is crucial for prompt reimbursements.

ChartPath, a leading EHR solution for long-term and post-acute care practices, today announced plans for a new automation platform that will allow clinicians and caretakers to select from a menu of helpful solutions and integrations tailored to their unique business and care needs.

With so much competition in the long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) market, maintaining growth takes work. Because of the rapid expansion of the over-65 demographic, it’s essential that LTPAC organizations and referring physicians understand the impacts of referral patterns in healthcare.

Learn about HCC coding and how to run a better practice. Using HCC codes in an EMR helps ensure that patients with multiple chronic conditions receive appropriate resources for their care and that clinicians receive fair and accurate payments for the services they provide. This helps reduce costs and improve the overall efficiency of the healthcare system.

ChartPath, the leading EHR solution for long-term and post-acute care practices, today announced new enhancements to its ongoing integration with PointClickCare, a leading healthcare technology platform enabling meaningful collaboration and access to real–time insights.

If you participate in the Merit-based Incentive PaymentSystem (MIPS) program, you may know the Promoting Interoperability (PI)requirements. For participating clinicians, PI can account for up to 25% of your MIPS score. If you are unsure of PI requirements and are not meeting them, you may end up on the wrong side of a penalty. And your PI activities need to have started by October 1st because it’s your last chance to make the best impression. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) measures you on a 90-day reporting period. 

Patient documentation is often scattered across healthcare systems: a diagnosis here, a newly prescribed medication there, and test results in three different places. Unfortunately, electronic medical records (EMR) often don’t transfer efficiently across healthcare entities—if they transfer at all. This inability to easily share important data can cause healthcare information silos.

Risk-based payment models aim to shift the basis of Medicare reimbursement rates from volume to value, but two different kinds exist. Here's a breakdown of advanced payment models and how ChartPath can help.

Risk-based payment models aim to shift the basis of Medicare reimbursement rates from volume to value, but two different kinds exist. Here's a breakdown of MIPS and how ChartPath can help either way.

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) free pass may not return in 2022. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) exempted many clinicians from MIPS reporting in 2020 and 2021 due toCOVID-19. But most clinicians will have to report their 2022 MIPS data when the window opens in January 2023. However, clinicians can still file for one of two hardship exceptions that simplify the process.

MIPS can seem like an overwhelming program. The commitment is a yearlong event, the charting burden seems never-ending, and the criteria change every year and seem to grow increasingly harder. On top of that, MIPS participation is mandatory for many clinicians, so even a few missteps can cost a pretty penny.