Surgeons Loupe

One of the most useful and most popular practice management tools today is the EMR or electronic medical record app. Going paperless and using EMR has been proven to offer a lot of advantages to every dental practice. We've already discussed some of these advantages in our previous post about going paperless.

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However, despite the benefits it offers, many dental professionals still doubt as to the efficiency and effectiveness of EMR. Among the reasons behind this doubt are the popular myths and misconceptions about EMR system which are mostly fabricated by medical and dental professionals who had experiences with bad EMR systems.

Below we are going to unveil the truth behind these myths.

EMR systems are just a waste of money

You might have already heard some medical and dental professionals complaining about the bad EMR system that the hospital enforce them to use or they pick themselves. The fact is, it depends upon the quality of the EMR system itself.

You can find a number EMR systems in the U.S. today- both bad and good ones. The best way to avoid wasting your hard earned money is to pick the right EMR system for you.

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EMR systems offer greater risks to information leak and data loss

Information leak and hacking issues are surrounding the internet. Many dental practices believe that using EMR systems will only increase their chance of getting hacked. If huge companies like Facebook get hacked, how much more the small EMR software companies?

The fact is, this depends upon the security features of your chosen EMR system. To avoid information leak and data loss, pick the electronic record software with the latest and most reliable security technology and strong security protocol. Also, stop using unsecured DOC files or sending out unencrypted text messages.

EMR systems are hard to set up and use

If you are using an old-style EMR system that requires a lot of setting up, then this statement can be true. There are also some that require you to subscribe to a training service or purchase a training manual in order to use the system.

However, not all EMR systems that are available today require you to be too tech-oriented. You can now find a lot of easy to use, set-up, and understand EMR software that gives more emphasis on user-experience and you can use even if you don't have any technical background.

Maintaining an electronic record software is very costly

Many dental professionals believe that maintaining an electronic record software is more expensive than using the traditional paper-based system. You will need to pay for monthly fees and other charges associated with using additional services.

Flip-up Loupes

Just like any other dental products like dental loupes, there are also expensive and affordable EMR systems. You can also try some free apps. The only problem with free apps is that they are not as effective, efficient, and safe as the commercial ones and they also come with many advertisement interruptions.

As opposed to this myth, maintaining an electronic record software is more cost-effective than a paper-based system. Though you need to pay for the monthly subscription fee, you can cut costs in terms of material, space, and time. That's quite a great deal.