Integrating Patient Information – both patient accounting information and patient history information -- into EMR / EHR has become a critical issue in medical software applications. Many EMR systems have a Patient Information Portal so that patients can tap into their information more easily. The idea is that the patient as well as the doctor and insurance companies must have access to his or her own medical information, hence the term Electronic Health Record, which is meant to shift ownership of the data to the patient as well as the doctor. Of course, medical billing, patient history, and prescription history are all vital to the completeness of an electronic medical records software (EMR) or an Electronic Health record. The EMR is meant to encompass the big picture, and different individuals, -- be they surgeons, billing specialists, and, perhaps, most importantly, patients themselves -- are all vitally concerned with different portions of the EMR.

Patient information and accounting systems should be able to track all patient accounting information from intake and registration to outpatient care through all stages of medical billing. They must tie into procedures, exams, and medication as well as into billing, and medical claims processing.

Each medical practice management software system does this differently, but ultimately each has to account for the personal information, medical information, insurance and billing codes, and billing software for their patients. The EMR / EHR is the more sophisticated and multi-faceted successor to the Medical Practice Management System. Patient Accounting information, with all of its many HIPAA protections, is a very critical part of that EMR / EHR.

There are benefits to tighter and looser integration of these functions, and often there is no better or worse model – sometimes it all depends on the nature of the practice or healthcare organization in need – or in the preferences of the people managing the practice. How to get guidance on the comparative functions of the many excellent patient accounting information and medical practice management packages available?

For comparisons of different medical patient account information modules within different medical software products, download the free Medical Software Selection Kit.

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