How an EMR System Helps Doctors Maintain Relationships with Patients

While medical practices have recognized the various benefits of implementing an EMR system in their practice, especially in helping with time-management, billing and keeping patient data organized, one benefit that EMR systems offer physicians is the ability to create and maintain stable relationships with patients.

Patients want to turn to a physician who they feel they can trust and communicate with. They want to know that their physician cares about their health concerns and is committed to helping them. However,
many patients feel as though during a visit, they spend more time answering questions about their general health than they do speaking to their doctor about the reason for their visit. Also, many patients feel as though doctors spend more time starting down at paper work than creating eye-contact when speaking to them. This not only makes a patient feel uncomfortable during a visit, but also neglected.

But, with an EMR system, maintaining patient-doctor relationships is easy.

Because an EMR system is web-based, doctors can skim patient information prior a patient visit from anywhere with an internet connection. This allows doctors to remain up-to-date with a patient’s health information and formulate a game plan to provide a solution to the patient’s health needs when the patient comes in for a visit.

In addition to remaining in the know about patient health, doctors can spend more time speaking with a patient and less time dealing with paperwork, such as patient registration, medical billing and appointment scheduling. Communication is crucial in the health field in order for doctors to accurately understand a patient’s health issue and needs. Patients want to feel as though their doctor cares about their health and wants to help. When patients feel ignored, they feel as though their doctor doesn’t care for their health.

Since an EMR system allows doctors to spend more time with patients, this especially helps boost a physician’s reputation. Customer service is extremely important in the healthcare field. If patients feel ignored, they are likely to switch to a new doctor. An EMR system allows doctors to dedicate individual attention to patients. Also, when a patient is extremely satisfied with their doctor, they are likely to inform others. By keeping patients happy, doctors unintentionally help spread word of their practice, increasing their patient database.