Insurance specialist Sheila Richards has worked in the front office for FP Susan Andrews, M.D., for nine years. She's been through the transition from paper records to an electronic health record system with Andrews and crew, and she knows all about the dreaded learning curve.
"It was very scary at first," said Richards. "The information I needed was in the computer. I had to learn the system to access it."
Remarkably, Richards said it took her just six weeks to feel "fairly comfortable and knowledgeable." She said the temporary drop in the practice's cash flow created several months of uneasiness.
The challenge of going electronic was more than just learning how to navigate the EHR system; the entire office work flow changed, said Richards. "I learned new ways of doing everything."
Now a seasoned veteran, Richards said the best part about going paperless was having faster access to the doctors. Before the practice adopted the EHR system, staff carried notes to the FPs. "Now (with internal messaging), I can send the doctors a message anytime about anything a patient or I might need," said Richards. "And they can respond immediately."
No files to pull, no files to put back. It means less hassle for the staff and prompt service for the patient.
How would Richards feel about going back to paper charts? Her eyes widened at the question and she paused before saying, "No, please no!"
FP Report is published by the
AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2004 by
American Academy of Family Physicians.