EMR/EHRMental Health3 Ways EHR Solutions Can Help Mental Health Professionals in Better Managing Their Patients

As a mental health professional, you know that the needs of your patients are unique. This is because of the constantly changing nature of mental health diseases, along with the growing number of individuals suffering from them.

In comparison to a year ago, the demand for anxiety treatment has increased, according to more than 8 in 10 (84%) psychologists who treat anxiety disorders.

With so many people relying on you to help them manage their mental health, it’s important that you have the tools you need to provide them with the best care possible. That’s why EHR solutions are so important for mental health professionals. The ability to use a single system across all aspects of your practice allows you to better coordinate services and track patient outcomes, which is key for any business owner.

But EHR solutions aren’t just important for doctors – they’re also incredibly helpful for patients. If you’re struggling with depression or anxiety, then mental health electronic records can provide a connected ecosystem wherein patients can access anything related to their past medical history.

Here are three reasons why switching to EHR Solutions will make a difference:

Confidentiality

Mental illness is a sensitive topic, but it’s something that many people struggle with. Switching to an electronic health record solution can help mental health professionals maintain the confidentiality of your patient’s mental health information.

Being a mental health professional, when you use paper records, you have to keep them locked up in a secure location, and if someone wants to access them, they will need to get your permission. That’s not always possible when you’re dealing with someone who has mental health issues. It can be difficult for them to remember how their symptoms affect them, and they may forget what they’ve told you previously.

With an EHR solution, however, you can maintain confidentiality by providing your patients with access to their own records through a secure portal that only they have access to. You can also help them manage their treatment by sending reminders and setting alerts so that they know when it’s time for check-ins or refills on prescriptions.

Moreover, governments around the world are constantly incorporating new protocols to empower digital health systems so that physicians and patients can work in a frictionless environment. In relation to this, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services prescribed some safety precautions that could be incorporated into EHR systems, and one of them is “access control” mechanisms like passwords and PIN codes that can help restrict access to your information to authorized people. This can make EHRs even more secure, allowing patients to confidently use them.

Accuracy

Mental illnesses are hard to manage, and stress can make it even harder. This is true for both individuals dealing with mental illnesses and the professionals that help such individuals to manage the illness.

Accuracy is one of the biggest factors in treating individuals with mental health illnesses, and if a mental health professional doesn’t have an accurate record of their patients’ information, it can lead to some serious problems.

For example, if you’re treating someone for depression, but the system says they have bipolar disorder, then you could end up giving them medication that won’t help them at all. Or if you’re trying to help someone who suffers from anxiety, but the system says they only have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), then you might not give them the right support or treatment.

That’s where EHRs come in. EHRs can help you track changes in a patient’s condition over time, so if they were diagnosed with a certain condition last year, but now they’re seeking treatment for something different, you’ll be able to see what changed and why.

As per the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, EHRs can efficiently enhance patient care by bringing down medical errors by enhancing the accuracy and clarity of medical records.

Accessibility

The most important thing you can provide as a mental health professional is accessibility. And the best way you can do that is by offering patients and their families the ability to manage their own care with EHR solutions.

With the right EHR system, you can offer your patients the convenience of being able to communicate with your team whenever they need to, whether that’s through email, text messages, or phone calls. You’ll also be able to remind them of appointments and other important dates via text or email so they don’t forget.

You’ll also be able to keep track of patient progress with an online calendar that lets you know when a patient has been seen for each appointment and how long it took them.

Though the adoption of EHRs among Mental Health providers is slow, the technology is seen to gain more traction in the last couple of years, given the ability of EHRs to create a frictionless environment for every entity.

Psychiatric institutions use EHRs at a rate of 46%, while conventional medical and surgical clinics use them at a rate of 96%. The same percentage of office-based physicians who perform psychiatry is 61%, compared to over 93% in every other field, including urology, cardiology, and general surgery.

Summing Up

EHR solutions are a must-have for any mental health professional looking to improve the way they manage their patients. With a robust electronic health record system, you can streamline your patient intake process and make it easier for new patients to get started with you. You’ll also be able to collect all of your patient data in one place, so you’ll never have to worry about losing an important piece of information again.

And with an EHR solution that integrates seamlessly with other software tools that many mental health professionals use – like scheduling tools and billing systems – your work will be so much easier than before.

Thus, if you’re looking for a way to make your job easier, consider using an EHR solution today.