System downtime is inevitable, and in the healthcare industry, this can be catastrophic. Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are integral to healthcare organizations, managing patient data and preserving it for future use. When downtime occurs, however, organizations face various issues, including missing or inaccurate patient information and decreased patient satisfaction. Consequently, healthcare organizations need a well-designed EHR downtime solution to lessen the risk of unscheduled downtime.
Why Your Current EHR Downtime Procedure May Pose More Risk Than You Think
Organizations that continue to operate without an EHR downtime solution face numerous risks, chief among them violating HIPAA standards. This is because organizations revert to paper-based procedures, which increases the chances of information loss or corruption during downtime, thus leading to HIPAA non-compliance.
In addition, the financial concerns linked to downtime are significant. Denial rates increase during downtime, leading to decreased revenue generation. Furthermore, hospitals are at risk of not having the most up-to-date patient information. These reasons alone are enough to compel healthcare organizations to explore solutions designed to mitigate the impact of EHR downtime.
How EHR Downtime Solutions Reduce the Impact of System Outages
A well-designed EHR downtime solution ensures that a healthcare organization’s operations run smoothly during unscheduled downtime. A paper-based EHR downtime procedure is inefficient and can result in data loss and reduced patient satisfaction. Inaccurate or missing patient information during downtime results in keying errors or information not being keyed in, increasing denial rates.
Patients’ satisfaction decreases as organizations force them to fill out the same information on paper repeatedly. Using tools like electronic forms (eForms), a core component of a downtime solution, eliminates this hassle for patients as their information is saved within the system even when it is offline. Overall, the best EHR downtime solution will reduce the impact of system outages, allowing healthcare organizations to maintain patient satisfaction and care continuity.
The Transition to an EHR Downtime Solution is Seamless with dbtech
Implementing dbtech’s EHR solutions within healthcare organizations is a streamlined and efficient process with minimal interruption to your existing processes. Using existing HL7 transactions, we eliminate the need for custom interfaces and ensure a seamless transition. With over 30 years of experience in capturing documents and data, dbtech ensures your healthcare organization immediately reaps the benefits of a comprehensive EHR downtime solution.
dbtech Offers Solutions for Cerner, MEDITECH, & Epic and More System Outages
EHR systems are an integral part of the healthcare industry, and unscheduled downtime can be damaging, not just to the organization but to the patients as well. That’s why dbtech’s EHR downtime solutions are designed to reduce risk and improve overall operations during system and network outages.
Healthcare organizations are urged to take the necessary steps to establish a more efficient EHR downtime solution for their medical staff and patients. Working with an experienced service provider like dbtech can help with this. Contact us today for more information on our solutions for EHR downtime procedures.