Each state and community faces its own challenges when it comes to behavioral healthcare and addiction treatment. In Ohio, specifically, organizations struggle with workforce shortages, especially in rural areas. A high-quality EHR can help mitigate many of these challenges, but not all EHRs are the same, so it is vital that you compare options and understand your organization’s needs before you commit to a certain software. For outpatient behavioral healthcare, capabilities for managing data securely and streamlining communication are particularly important to maximize outcomes.
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Outline Your Needs and Goals
First you will need to conduct an audit of your current outpatient services and workflows to identify any issues or areas for improvement. You will then need to clearly outline short and long term objectives for your outpatient services. These objectives should be specific and actionable. Setting goals can help you choose an EHR by determining which options and features you should prioritize in order to meet those goals.
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Assess Your Budget
Determine how much of your funds are available to spend on an EHR. Price ranges for EHRs can vary widely depending on factors such as the specific software, the size of the practice, and the existing systems in place. After understanding what features are a priority, you can better weigh cost against value. Ideally, you should take the time to compare options.
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Consider Your Existing Technology
You will need to assess your existing technology to determine any updates that need to be made to support an EHR, as well as what integrative capabilities an EHR will need to work with your system. If your organization doesn’t have an onsite tech team, you will need to hire a third party to conduct an audit and do a consultation.
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Compare Features and Support Options
Features and support options vary between EHRs. It is not only important to choose an EHR that suits your organization’s specific needs but also offers features that are broadly beneficial to outpatient care such as:
- Strong information security;
- Integrated telehealth support;
- Quality revenue cycle management;
- Efficient documentation programs;
- Great interoperability.
You should also consider your location when evaluating features and options.
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Review Ohio-Specific Regulations
Compliance is vital when it comes to healthcare programs and procedures, and you need to consider not only federal regulations and standards but also state laws. As such, if you are choosing an EHR for a behavioral health organization in Ohio, you need to ensure that its compliance standards are in line with Ohio law. Notably, you will need to review Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 5122-26-08.1 regarding the security of clinical records systems and Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3701.75 concerning electronic signatures.
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Try It Out
Many EHRs offer free trials and it is useful to take advantage of this option. Sometimes it’s difficult to anticipate exactly how well software will fit within your workflows until you see it in action. If a company doesn’t advertise a free trial, consider asking about a discounted trial period.
A good EHR will positively impact virtually every aspect of your behavioral health organization, and therefore it is important to make your decision carefully. Furthermore, even if you already have an EHR, it may benefit your organization to regularly evaluate the success of the software and consider whether a change or upgrade could improve outcomes.
