Practice improves patient communication, provider satisfaction with Aprima EHR for neurology adoption
As part of that mission, CNN realized it needed to enhance patient communication and boost provider satisfaction – and looked to their new partnership with Aprima and its EHR for neurology to help deliver that through its electronic health records (EHR), practice management and revenue cycle management solutions.
The Center for Neurology and Neurophysiology(CNN) in Frisco, Texas, is a two-location general neurology practice that employs three neurologists and five mid-levels. The practice’s mission is to deliver the best service to its patients and their families, while also providing state-of-the-art medical care for neurological disease coupled with compassion and personalized treatment plans.
Since adopting Aprima’s solutions, CNN has benefited from improved provider workflows, enhanced patient communication and greater provider satisfaction, according to Frederick Lopez, the practice’s business manager. “One thing we like about Aprima is that we can customize it to the practice, not the other way around where the practice has to customize to the EHR,” Lopez said.
Easy customization, more efficient workflow
Aprima’s task management capabilities have enabled CNN to automatically route, track and document much of its routine workflow, freeing staff to spend more time with patients and focus on more important projects. After adopting Aprima, CNN uncovered new efficiencies that practice leadership hadn’t previously been aware of when selecting and implementing the solutions, according to Lopez.
For example, Aprima worked with CNN to route communications in a manner that maximizes efficiency for patients, staff and physicians. “From our perspective, Aprima is actually working with our providers rather than our providers working with an EHR system,” he said.
Another key advantage of Aprima’s integrated messaging and workflow system is that it streamlines workflow – generating automated reminders, notifying clinicians when lab results arrive or are overdue and enabling initiation and tracking of administrative tasks, for example.
Timely communication, happier patients with Aprima EHR for Neurology
Through its use of Aprima’s patient portal, CNN has improved patient engagement while more actively involving patients in their own care. The portal enables fast, secure and convenient multi-directional communication between patients, their providers and practice staff, according to Lopez.
“One of the things that we always get a compliment from, especially the patients who get really comfortable with our group, is that we’re able to communicate to them in a timely manner,” he said. “So by using the portal, they’re able to send us a message, and then in-between patients, the providers are able to respond to them.”
Lopez notes that communication through the portal is superior to phone calls or voice mails, as the portal enables providers to correspond with patients or answering questions when they have a few free minutes between patient visits. “Most patients get an answer to their question in the same day,” Lopez said.
Adding to the convenience for providers, Aprima’s solution features mobile access for phones and tablets, enabling clinicians to access EHR data from anywhere an internet connection is available. In addition to patient correspondence, providers can use Aprima Mobile to complete tasks such as reviewing a patient’s complete medical history, approving or acting on lab results, and refilling and writing prescriptions.
Combating physician burnout
For many physicians, their No. 1 source of frustration is a lack of time to spend on patient care due to an overabundance of administrative tasks. This frustration can result in feelings of burnout and general job-related dissatisfaction.
That hasn’t happened at CNN since adopting Aprima’s solution. To the contrary, the system’s flexible, customizable workflows have reduced late working hours for providers, enabling them to achieve a healthier work-life balance, according to Lopez. “Because we are a little bit more efficient, we’re able to streamline some of the processes,” he said. “So we’re not staying until 5 or 6 o’clock in the afternoon answering calls or returning messages because throughout the day we’re able to respond through the portal to communicate with patients in a timely manner. The workload is a lot less at the end of the day.”
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