The shift from paper charts to sophisticated electronic medical records (EMR) is among the most significant changes for healthcare providers in the 21st century. Reliable EMR software is essential to managing costs and revenue. All U.S. healthcare providers have been required by law to demonstrate meaningful use of EMR for years, but it’s not just about entering patient data and scheduling appointments. EMR’s impact on medical billing cannot be overstated. Likewise, EMR’s ability to preserve patient privacy is paramount. 

Making the most of EMR requires trailblazing software, and Benji has you covered. A Hansei company, Benji provides behavioral healthcare organizations with a comprehensive, automated, and AI-driven EMR platform designed by behavioral health experts. Call 888.670.6388 or contact Benji online to discover how our software can transform EMR into a competitive advantage for your facility. 

Providers, Payors, Patients: Healthcare’s Three Major Players

The healthcare system revolves around three stakeholders: providers, payors, and patients. Providers deliver healthcare services to patients. Payors (generally health insurance companies) pay providers for those services. Patients receive treatment and cover any costs not paid by payors. The system depends on accurate information flowing freely between all three. 

Providers and payors need open communication. Inaccurate claims often lead to delayed reimbursements, and by extension, treatments, compromising patient outcomes. Similarly, behavioral health patients frequently face challenges from a variety of physical and mental health conditions and external societal factors. If they don’t trust providers to secure their data, they may avoid treatment altogether or be selective about what information they share. Patients also need to understand what services their payors cover and their financial responsibilities. 

Paper records are difficult to share between parties and require providers to invest in storage and file management, increasing overhead costs. Patient data can also be easily compromised if sensitive information isn’t filed away correctly. Fortunately, electronic medical record software solves all of these issues. 

The Importance of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs)

EMR is a digital version of the paper patient records kept by healthcare facilities. Information is often stored in the cloud, where only authorized personnel are allowed to access it. Providers can collaborate on multidisciplinary treatment plans without being tethered to the office, and patients enjoy easy access to their records. 

Here’s a snapshot of EMR’s most important benefits:

Efficiency: Patient data is easily accessible anywhere with an internet connection, allowing all three players to share it seamlessly. The need for manual data entry is also eliminated, reducing preventable errors that often lead to claim denials. 

Accuracy: EMR platforms automatically check for coding errors and information gaps, dramatically reducing the risk of billing errors. That means faster payment processing and fewer rejected claims. 

Meaningful Use Incentives: Certified EMR technology improves healthcare quality, safety, and efficiency. The U.S. Government provides financial incentives for healthcare providers to adopt EMR software, offsetting implementation costs. 

RCM Integration: Revenue cycle management (RCM) refers to the process of managing claims, payments, and revenue generation within a healthcare context. RCM integration enables providers to manage patient records and billing processes in a single, convenient location, reducing their administrative burden and improving communication with payors. 

Standardization Procedures: EMR software offers customizable templates, ensuring consistent documentation that reduces variability and errors. 

Lab Integration: The best EMR platforms integrate directly with labs, allowing test results to be imported directly into the platform to minimize manual entry mistakes. 

EMR’s Role in Compliance

All American healthcare practices are required to use EMR technology, but the right software can also ensure you remain compliant with federal regulations. The two major regulations are the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and 42 CFR Part 2.

HIPAA

HIPAA secures protected health information (PHI) by requiring providers to implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards around patient health data. HIPAA-compliant data encryption must protect information at rest and in transit. Access controls must be in place, and regular data audits must be performed. 

42 CFR Part 2

42 CFR Part 2 calls for strict protections for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records. It limits when and how patient information can be disclosed, even between providers at the same facility, and requires written patient consent in most circumstances. 

EMR software is built with these guidelines in mind, allowing healthcare providers to remain compliant without memorizing individual regulations. Software can also be updated whenever guidelines change, minimizing transitional periods. 

Are EMR and EHR the Same Thing?

Electronic medical record platforms share several features with electronic health records (EHR), but they aren’t the same thing. Scope is the primary difference. EMR software is designed to record clinical data, such as treatment plans and progress notes, at a single site. The data may be shared between providers at that site, but it is generally not shared with external providers. 

EHR platforms go beyond a single provider. They offer a more comprehensive patient health record with enhanced interoperability, facilitating seamless information sharing across multiple healthcare settings. EHR platforms are ideal for coordinating care between specialists, primary care physicians, and therapists. 

How Does EMR Promote Patient Safety?

Unlike paper records, EMR allows providers to track patient data such as blood pressure readings and vaccination history over time. Electronic patient records can identify patients overdue for preventive visits or screenings and schedule the appointment in one platform. EMR software also supports telehealth visits since clinicians don’t need to be in the office to access patient data, and real-time updates ensure that the entire treatment team always has up-to-date information. Crisis interventions are also more timely when providers don’t need to look for a patient’s info. 

Automating time-consuming administrative tasks reduces human error and gives providers additional time with patients. For instance, e-prescriptions improve medication management by minimizing transcription errors and flagging potential drug reactions and allergies. EMR also streamlines Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS), ensuring patients receive timely treatments. EMR platforms provide decision support tools to help providers make informed decisions through evidence-based guidelines and compliance guardrails.

EMR software also protects sensitive patient data. Role-based access controls ensure that only personnel who need to see information can. For instance, front-desk staff can view scheduling details to help patients book therapy sessions, but cannot see prescription information or progress notes. Security features such as multifactor authentication and login protocols guarantee patient privacy, and comprehensive audit trails help trace any suspicious activity. You can see who accessed patient information, when they did so, and why they needed to. 

How Can an EMR System Improve Medical Billing?

Payors have varying requirements for claims forms, and providers waste immense amounts of time looking up what they are. EMR software solves this problem with smart claims forms that automatically adapt to payor-specific rules like note frequency and required attachments. Missing fields are flagged before submission to avoid unnecessary denials, and appeal processes and collections are automated to recapture lost revenues. 

Insurance verification is automated, confirming coverage details to reduce denials while helping patients understand their financial responsibilities. Payments from payors and patients are recorded in the management system to help providers track their revenue cycle. EMR software also helps translate services to medical codes to expedite billing.

Best of all, EMR software includes powerful analytical tools to help providers track revenue trends, optimize operations, and improve the patient experience. Key performance indicators (KPIs) enable organizations to self-assess their financial health and improve revenue without compromising patient care. 

Meet Benji: The Ideal EMR Sidekick for Behavioral Health Providers

There are plenty of EMR solutions on the market, but many of them aren’t equipped for the unique needs of behavioral health providers. Hansei identified a need for a user-friendly platform to streamline workflows and simplify documentation processes, ultimately creating Benji as an all-in-one comprehensive technology solution for behavioral health professionals to keep clinical staff and patients successful, happy, and engaged. We see Benji as an administrative sidekick that uses AI to give providers more time to do what they do best: work with patients. 

Here are some of the features that help Benji stand out in a crowded market:

• Intuitive, user-friendly interface
• Automated insurance eligibility and authorization workflows
• Automated claims submissions and tracking
• Denial prevention tools
• Real-time billing dashboards
• Integrated EHR billing
• Payor-specific form logic (“smart forms”)
• Customizable templates
• Native integration with other tools
• Automated medication management
• Built-in revenue management cycle capabilities
• Role-specific access controls
• End-to-end, HIPAA-compliant data encryption
• Powerful analytical tools
• Compliance guardrails
• Secure cloud infrastructure
• Unlimited scalability
• White-glove customer service and in-person onboarding support

Benji was designed by experts in the financial and clinical aspects of behavioral health, and our platform is ready for anything you might throw at it. Whether your facility is a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) clinic looking to help more patients, a private psychiatry office that just opened its doors, or a large mental health practice with multiple locations, Benji helps you streamline processes, improve patient satisfaction, and drive profitability. 

You Don’t Have to Choose Between Patient Safety and Streamlined Medical Billing

Patients deserve the best possible care, and providers deserve speedy reimbursement for the valuable healthcare services they provide. Great EMR software like Benji helps behavioral healthcare professionals achieve both goals simultaneously. Patient records become more accessible and more secure, relations with payors improve, and patients gain the information needed to become active participants in the wellness process. 

If you’d like to learn more about Benji and how it could revolutionize your organization’s safety and billing procedures, request a demo today or call 888.670.6388. It could be the best thing you’ve ever done for your facility.