Behavioral health providers require accurate data to create effective treatment plans, manage revenues, and drive better patient outcomes. Electronic medical records (EMRs) reduce errors, promote data security, and increase operational efficiency. EMR allows providers to offer more therapeutic services, payors to finance care more efficiently, and patients to take an active role in the journey toward mental wellness. Modern behavioral health clinics need EMR to accommodate the diverse needs of their patients.
However, all EMR platforms are not equal. The best options are designed with the specific compliance needs of behavioral health clinics in mind. That means customizable templates, automated administrative tasks, and integration with other services.
Benji, a Hansei company, created an all-in-one AI-driven software platform that seamlessly integrates EMR with revenue cycle management (RCM) features. Call 888.670.6388 or request a demo to learn more about Benji’s expansive capabilities.
What Are Electronic Medical Records?
EMR is a digital version of the paper charts found in medical offices, clinics, and hospitals. They contain every patient’s medical history and patient history, making information more accessible to providers. EMR also enables healthcare professionals to track data over time, identify patients overdue for preventive visits or screenings, monitor patient progress, and improve overall patient care.
Here are a few of the key benefits EMR software offers:
- Enhanced quality of care through real-time access to patient records
- Improved coordination of care through seamless communication between providers
- Increased patient engagement by giving patients easy access to their medical records
- Superior security and confidentiality through advanced features like multi-factor authentication
- Saving valuable clinician time by automating administrative tasks like scheduling and billing
- Facilitating data analysis through robust analytics to refine therapeutic approaches and improve facility performance
- Cost savings since clinics don’t need to store physical documents, print forms, or pay personnel to manage files
- Ensure compliance and guideline adherence by tailoring EMRs to the unique regulatory environment that behavioral health clinics face
EMR vs. EHR: What’s the Difference?
EMR shares many benefits with electronic health record (EHR) systems, and the acronyms are sometimes used interchangeably, though this is incorrect. While there is overlap in features such as digital formatting, expedited collaboration between treatment teams, compliance support, and automated billing, they vary considerably in scope.
EMR platforms provide patient records for a single facility or provider. They’re focused on recording clinical data such as treatment plans and progress notes at a single site of care.
By contrast, EHR platforms go beyond a single provider by offering a more comprehensive healthcare record that is shareable between providers. EHR software is ideal for coordinating care between multiple specialists at different clinics.
Benji is an EMR with certain EHR features, providing behavioral health facilities with the advanced functionality they need to optimize the patient experience.
What EMR Features Are Important for Behavioral Health Clinics?
Don’t fall into the trap of assuming that more features automatically mean a better platform. If your organization doesn’t need a particular feature, including it will only confuse your team. The best EMR solutions strike a balance between advanced functionality and ease of use. Therefore, the first feature to look for is a user-friendly interface (UI). Without that, your team won’t be able to access other functionalities.
Next, consider what your day-to-day workflow looks like. Behavioral health clinics often store sensitive patient details such as personal traumas, mental health diagnoses, substance use history, and confidential therapy notes. If compromised, patients could face social and professional discrimination in various aspects of their lives, including custody battles and insurance decisions. Patients may also be hesitant to open up or even avoid care entirely for fear of exposure. You need patient trust to work toward positive outcomes.
Many compliance needs are also related to data security. There are two major regulations in the U.S.:
HIPAA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) establishes a foundational framework for securing protected health information (PHI), requiring providers to implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect patient data. Examples include comprehensive access controls, regular audits, and secure data encryption at rest and in transit.
42 CFR Part 2
Many behavioral healthcare providers, particularly medication-assisted treatment (MAT) centers, are also subject to 42 CFR Part 2. 42 CFR Part 2 establishes even stricter guidelines for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records. It limits when and how patient records may be disclosed, even between providers at the same organization. Facilities must also obtain written consent for most disclosures.
A great EMR platform will have compliance features like these built in, so clinicians don’t need to memorize ever-changing guidelines to remain compliant.
Cloud-Based Data Storage
Cloud-based data storage means that patient records are stored in the cloud, rather than on paper or physical hardware. This software-as-a-service (SaaS) model enables physicians, therapists, counselors, case managers, and administrators to access information from anywhere, without being tied to an office computer. Updates are automatic, and downtime is minimal.
Here are some of the other benefits of cloud-based data storage:
- Improved accessibility facilitates remote care and treatment team coordination.
- Cloud storage eliminates the need for expensive hardware, maintenance, and in-house IT staff.
- Data security is enhanced through HIPAA-compliant end-to-end data encryption.
- Backup systems automatically protect data from cyberattacks and hardware failures.
- Maximal scalability allows providers to adjust storage and features to their changing needs.
- Data isn’t compromised if your physical building is damaged.
- Access controls, like user authentication and login protocols, ensure only authorized personnel can access data.
Your organization needs secure cloud infrastructure to realize these benefits. Look for SOC II or HITRUST certification, geo-redundant data centers, and built-in disaster recovery and backup protocols. Healing can only begin once trust is established.
Other Important Features of Behavioral Health EMRs
While data storage and compliance are essential, truly great EMR platforms also offer other features. Most behavioral health clinics should look for the following:
1. Efficient Patient Scheduling
Timely interventions make a huge difference in behavioral health settings. A sophisticated scheduling system that facilitates individual and group therapy sessions allows patients to seek treatment without unnecessary delays. Automation can also optimize appointment slots to maximize efficiency while minimizing no-shows.
2. Streamlined Prescription Management
EMR software integrates directly with pharmacies, enabling clinicians to manage prescriptions and renewals while tracking patient adherence to drive superior outcomes. Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS) is especially important for MAT centers that handle medication management involving controlled substances.
3. Customizable Templates and Progress Notes
Your organization’s documentation and formatting should reflect the patient care you provide, not the limitations of your software. Great behavioral health software will adapt to your specific needs, reducing errors and ensuring information is clear to all stakeholders. Examples include smart forms and adaptable claim submissions.
4. Traceable Audit Trails
Audit trails track who accessed patient information, when, and why. You can use this information to demonstrate compliance during security reviews and quickly and easily identify any suspicious behavior. Regular audits are also important for maintaining compliance with governmental regulations.
5. Specialized Treatment Planning Tools
EMR software should include native treatment planning tools that align with standards published by organizations such as the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) guidelines. Integration ensures compliance without requiring manual review of policies and procedures.
6. Integrated Revenue Cycle Management Capabilities
Some behavioral health clinics have separate EMR and RCM platforms. While the arrangement can work, combining both into a single comprehensive solution provides stakeholders with a convenient access point to all of their patient data. Clinicians can easily collaborate on multidisciplinary treatment plans, while patients enjoy easy access to all of their records.
Why Benji Is the Best EMR for Behavioral Health Practices
Behavioral health experts with experience in the clinical and financial aspects of the field built Benji. Our full-service, automated, AI-driven software platform is the perfect sidekick for all behavioral health professionals seeking to stabilize their cash flow, coordinate treatment teams, and consistently deliver positive patient outcomes.
Here’s what Benji could bring to your organization:
- Enterprise-grade data encryption
- Intuitive UI
- Granular access controls
- Secure cloud hosting
- Integrated compliance features
- Native RCM capabilities
- Real-time documentation logging
As a Hansei company, Benji provides white-glove customer support. Experts can come to you and train your entire team for their specific roles. Role-based access controls ensure personnel only see what they need to. For example, a receptionist could see basic scheduling information but not clinical notes, even though both are stored in the same software. We can also assist with data migration and answer any questions you have, even years after installation.
We’re confident that Benji is the best EMR platform available for behavioral healthcare management, and we invite you to compare us head-to-head against any of our competitors. When you do, you’ll see what makes Benji the administrative companion your organization has been searching for.
Unparalleled Efficiency Is Just a Few Steps Away
Embracing EMR allows behavioral health facilities to improve patient care, increase operational efficiency, and protect patient data. Benji combines advanced functionality with ease of use, enabling even technophobes to utilize electronic medical records with ease.
What are you waiting for? Call 888.670.6388 or contact Benji online to discover how an EMR platform designed specifically for behavioral health professionals could benefit your organization.