A-Z in Patient Care: Modern EHR for an Innovative Practice

About RSI

Regenerative SportsCare Institute (RSI) is an innovative orthopedics practice delivering minimally-invasive regenerative treatments for musculoskeletal conditions. Dr. Gregory Lutz founded the Regenerative SportsCare Institute (RSI) in 2016, with the intention of creating a model of orthopedic care that places patients’ interests above all others. To achieve this RSI focuses more on regenerative/restorative procedures that utilize patients’ biologics as a core aspect of treatment, and offers same day exams, imaging and treatment to deliver efficient and cost-effective patient care.

The Business Challenge

RSI’s focus on innovative regenerative procedures instead of traditional invasive surgeries necessitated their EHR system to meet their unique needs. For two years, they struggled to use an outdated server-based EHR and they needed a modern system that can serve their unique practice model.

“We wanted an app, one you can actually write your notes in, not just where the desktop version had all of your templates and the mobile version had a blank box that felt like a notepad with no way to pull in templates or do anything."

One of Dr. Beatty’s first projects upon joining RSI was to help with the evaluation, selection, and implementation of a new EHR system for the practice.

RSI’s previous EHR was a robust platform with limited functionality

The previous platform catered well to the regulatory requirements of all the specialties they served. However, they didn’t actually consider the need to align with how a provider actually runs his practice and uses his EHR throughout his patient encounters.

Below illustrates the difficulties that RSI experienced and how they sought to improve their practice with a new EHR.

Previous EHR

Not true mobility: a windows desktop application without charting capacity or comprehensive access to charts.
Difficult and time-consuming accessibility through VPN
Hard to manage the security of a server-based system. Complete comprehension of security and HIPAA compliance
The medical forms and intake forms were not conducive to customization and needed IT support from the EHR company to change anything.
Closed API prevented scalable efforts and custom solutions.
Separate scheduling
Difficult billing and coding
Manual imaging and lab ordering and management

Requirements for New EHR

Cloud-based, end to end integrated system
Interoperability/communication between insurance registry and our EMR
Robust mobile product, including an app, not just a bookmarked web version
Patient portal
Online check-in
Integrated billing and patient payments
Easy template customization
eFax integration
Built-in coding/billing with possible
integration for RCM
A modern, user-friendly interface

The Solution

“Modernizing the healthcare industry should be like modernizing any other industry. Healthcare should be more fluid, and we wanted an EHR that can help us take advantage of that."

After a product demo, the decision to switch over to DrChrono became incredibly easy for RSI. By being a truly mobile platform, Dr. Beatty was able to quickly improve patient engagement. Being a cloud-based EHR with two-factor authentication security, accessing DrChrono anywhere anytime became effortless. With completely customizable charting in a native mobile app (not just a bookmarked web browser), Dr. Beatty and his staff were able to truly chart the way they needed to for their practice, as well as chart effectively, whether they were on the iPad or their desktop. A fully integrated system eliminated double entry and streamline billing workflows. Lastly, DrChrono’s open API functionality has allowed Dr. Beatty to integrate various third party solutions into his EHR.

Requirements for New EHR

Because their model had all their services performed same day, they needed to be as efficient as possible. Reducing redundancies was critical in providing the best patient care. Double entry was now virtually eliminated across the practice. With scheduling, charting and billing seamlessly integrated, the general tempo of the practice has become noticeably nimble and quick. Dr. Beatty has found it very easy to flip through patient charts for upcoming appointments. With billing also integrated, he is able to easily submit his notes with the right codes as he walked to another exam room, which minimized charting time and burden for the providers.

Complete mobility, no strings attached

“Basically all the imaging, patient info and scheduling being [accessible anywhere] is nice, and the ability to review something at breakfast quickly without having to go through a VPN is excellent.”

DrChrono has been ranked #1 Mobile EHR for 6 consecutive years and offers cloud-based EHR mobile app and web version with two-factor authentication. This meant that with DrChrono, RSI team now was able to easily and securely access their EHR and chart instantly, anywhere, on any device. RSI also no longer has to worry about server related expenses or maintenance, allowing more time to focus on patients.

In addition, RSI team has taken advantage of advance features including dictation, eRX/EPCS, efax, lab/imaging order and access and more right from the EHR app on iPad or iPhone.

Digitizing and automating administrative work

Having complete customizability on a high level enabled RSI to truly match the necessary workflows of their unique practice model. This required additional consent or procedural forms to be added to charts, as well as billing profiles.

More specifically, their practice required a unique set of forms to be attached to their note in addition to their H&P: time-out forms, nursing records, post-procedure instructions, and consent forms were frequently included in the final note. Being able to customize the note and easily compile all the required documentation proved to be a massive time saver and made for a more streamlined charting workflow for both providers and staff.

Open API allows DrChrono to accommodate unique practice needs

There are several partners that RSI utilizes in their day to day operations that would not be available if not for DrChrono’s open API. They’ve been able to utilize various DrChrono partners’ apps and services to enable online scheduling and reputation management, medical dictation, x-rays integration, outcome measurements and connecting with labs for specialized orders.

Conclusion

By switching to DrChrono not only has RSI been able to digitize and streamline their practice workflows, RSI team has access to the innovative capabilities of a modern EHR, which allowed them to leverage their EHR as a far more powerful asset than they ever thought possible.

“Modernizing the healthcare industry should be like modernizing any other industry. Healthcare should be more fluid, and we wanted an EHR that can help us take advantage of that.”

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