The following is an excerpt from an article by Stephanie Ocano of Healthcare Global. This article was originally written by Adam Groff and appeared on healthcareglobal.com. The paperless revolution is taking the world by storm, so it's no surprise hospitals across the United States are jumping on the paper-free bandwagon. From digitized patient files to paperwork and documents sent by email, the medical community is embracing a paperless lifestyle.

You have recently recognized the importance of implementing Electronic Health Records software in your organization. EHR solutions are designed to help medical practices improve the level of patient care they deliver, speeding up a variety of activities, ranging from checking on a patient’s insurance status to entering in the codes for diagnosis and treatment. In order to get the most out of your EHR, here are four steps for putting it into action.

Inexpensive computers with astonishing processing capability, combined with advanced networking protocols and robust security and safety mechanisms to protect patients’ highly sensitive and confidential information have enabled a revolution in healthcare. More and more medical organizations are harnessing the power of networked computers with Electronic Health Record or EHR software to enable their staff to work better and faster while improving patient care. At the same time, the efficiencies that EHR brings to a practice have a positive effect on the organization’s bottom line.

Regardless of whether your practice has or has not yet transitioned to EMR, you may still have questions about how they work. EMR enables easily controlled access to patient records. Now, instead of locking filing cabinets and needing to have the “key person” open them as needed, protocols can be established as to the levels of patient medical information (“role based”) each system user can or cannot access. One of the most important questions that you may be wondering about is what kinds of information you might find in electronic medical records.

Like many managers or owners of a thriving medical practice, you have heard about the benefits of using electronic health records software and are interested in implementing an EHR in your organization. You can assume that many, if not all, of your nearby competitors are using EHR, and the more effective they are in using this software, the better they will be able to attract and keep patients.

Medical organizations typically record and store a great deal of confidential information about their patients, and it’s of paramount importance that they take all necessary precautions to safeguard this data. The consequences of unauthorized people gaining access to private medical data can be disastrous. Patients could run into trouble with criminals stealing their identity, draining their bank accounts, and having their most private medical information exposed to people who have no business seeing it.

If your radiology practice has been using radiology information or RIS software for a while now, you already know about the many benefits of using this technology to speed up workflow and achieve greater efficiencies and cost savings. For example, you can use radiology software to store X-ray and CT scans so they are accessible directly from a patient’s chart. You can use the system to make this information available to other specialists, such as when a consult is called for. If you haven’t yet connected your radiology software with electronic health record or EHR software, you will want to consider implementing this solution as soon as possible.

As computers become a more common feature in medical organizations, the benefits of using Electronic Health Record software systems have become increasingly clear. EHR systems are designed to help organizations enter, store and retrieve important patient data for a variety of purposes both from a medical and a financial perspective. You use EHR software to track and treat your patients, as well as connect with insurance agencies and government entities. Whether your organization is new to using EHR software, or you have been using it for a while, you can always benefit from tips on selecting or upgrading your EHR system. Evaluate Your Staff’s Particular Needs Before Selecting or Upgrading EHR Software If your organization doesn’t currently use an EHR system, it’s wise to discuss electronic health records with your staff and to evaluate what they need before you select a new system. If your team already has experience with EHR, consult with them to find out what works and what they still need before you make a decision about upgrading the software.

Managing a patient’s pain is essential for recuperation and well being. When patients are in pain, it’s more difficult to get better. The stress of pain and discomfort, especially when they are chronic, can even contribute to patients taking a turn for the worst. When medical groups begin implementing electronic health record software solutions, they are often motivated by the prospect of saving time, improving efficiency and being able to communicate more effectively with governmental and insurance entities, as well as other healthcare providers. As the boss or owner of a medical organization, there are some features that your team will want in EHR software to help you with pain management. Make Sure Your EHR Software Can Scale Up Even if your practice is working wonders in the community in terms of managing pain, it’s a good idea to recognize the importance of using EHR software that is scalable. Assume your practice will continue to grow and that you will need to help even more patients in the future. Verify that your prospective EHR software can not only accommodate the number of pain management professionals on your staff, but that it will also scale up as you add new members to your team.

You may be familiar with some of the benefits of electronic health record systems for medical organizations. This is why so many healthcare providers and other entities have made the switch to EHR from their antiquated, paper-based systems. There is, however, another way to look at EHR when making the case for implementing it in your organization. How does it benefit the patient?