Open-EMR Features

Open-EMR is an electronic health records and medical practice management application. It is Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Complete Ambulatory EHR Certified and it features fully integrated electronic health records, practice management, scheduling, electronic billing, internationalization, fully support, a vibrant community, and a whole lot more. It can run on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and many other platforms.   Features supported are listed below:

 

Electronic Medical Services (EMR) Servives 

 

• EMR/EHR Services

• Software Engineering Services

• Interoperability Services

• Meaningful Use Consulting

• QA Services

• Migration Services (ICD-10, EHR)

• Open Source Services

 

Implementing an EMR for your practice is a wise choice or at least would satisfy federal mandate. But do you know what it costs to adopt an EMR for your practice? Implementing one can be a major investment for most medical practices. Many early adopters are increasingly unsatisfied with their existing EMRs and are looking for alternatives that can satisfy them with features of their choice, workflow and cost. So, before diving in, take time to research EMR, its costs and financing options. To get an idea of the return on investment a sample ROI is given below. The values provided are only estimates and actual EMR costs can vary from one provider to another

 

EMR Costs

EMR Costs generally fall under four categories.

 

Hardware

Whether you are a newly setup practice or an established player, opting an EMR includes buying a new hardware or upgrading the existing one for the implementation. You may even need a network server if the EMR system is going to be client/server based. Check with your EMR vendor for the recommended hardware configuration for optimum software performance. Remember the cost of the hardware depends on the brand, model, speed, memory and storage and so plan your budget accordingly with future upgrade cost in mind.

 

Software

The EMR software license is based on the number of physicians per practice. The EMR vendor may provide discounts for bulk purchase with free access to support staff through the provider’s license. While open source based EMRs like OpenEMR are available for free, proprietary EMR license can cost anywhere between $1,000 to $30,000 and even more. A certified fully functional version would start around US$10,000. Find out with your EMR vendor whether the software price is a one-time up-front license cost or is made on a monthly/yearly basis.

 

Implementation and Training

Depending on the EMR opted by you, client/server or web browser based, the implementation time varies. Assuming the EMR is client/server based, the average implementation time is 45 hours, with 10 hours for computer & network setup, 10 hours for customization and deployment followed by 25 hours of training. For web browser based (hosted model) there is no implementation time expect for few registration formalities.

 

Training is provided on-site or through remote sessions depending on the EMR vendor. A limited hours training or a fixed period is set and the cost for the same is covered in the license or billed separately. Post implementation, additional training is provided at a rate of US$100 per hour (offshore support) up to $150 per hour.

 

Support & Maintenance

Support is provided on a monthly, half yearly or usually annual basis by Nilivia Tech. The annual support generally covers software updates, fixes, vulnerability patches and other technical support. To handle the hardware and network issues an in-house IT technician can be hired or outsourced.

 

OpenEMR Features

• ONC Certified

• Patient Demographics

• Patient Scheduling

• Electronic Medical Records

• Prescriptions

• Medical Billing

• Clinical Decision Rules

• Patient Portal

• Reports

• Multilanguage Support

• Security

• Support

• Community Wiki Support