General Surgery Case Study

Decision for EMR

The power of the PC, when functioning correctly, can facilitate the daily workload dramatically. There is little reason not to integrate computing into the work flow. Computerized charting only makes sense.

Decision for Praxis

The multi-specialty group I used to be in had a record that was truly just a glorified file folder. Everything was dictated or template based. I had also used the VA system's electronic record which was an excellent hospital based EMR, but was not as useful for the clinic situation. Everyone that is considering an EMR should look at multiple options and should try to do their most common daily tasks with each record. Only then will they know what they are really getting. When I looked at several of the available electronic records, Praxis was the only one that really made sense to me.

Dr Compton's Praxis EMR Advantages

Praxis is Dynamic

The greatest thing about Praxis is that it is dynamic. I am not locked into anything. You document your way. Secondly, it is complete. I don't need an additional program to archive other records.

Work Flow

The real benefit for me is work flow. You still have to see everyone. You still have to document every patient. Those things will never change. But, you really don't want to have to do the same thing repeatedly. Previously, I would see the patient, dictate my note, get the transcription back, and correct the transcription. Then, my nurse would wait for the correction and subsequently forward the notes to the hospital as the H&P pre-op, or give it to me to re-dictate to the hospital. It's the same thing we all do. Now, when I see the patient, I'll either do the note in the room with them or in my office, then sign the note, and my orders, H&P, consult, cover letter, etc all print right away. There is no waiting for transcription. There are also very few, if not any corrections, to be made because after all, I am human.

Highest Standard of Care

There is not a surgeon practicing that would rather be in the clinic than the OR. I want to be in and out with everything done as best as it can be. As a full time General Surgeon (doing general, vascular, and bariatric surgery), this has allowed me to be much more efficient. I no longer am here until 10 or 11 at night trying to get all the paper work done for the OR the next day. The multi-page pre-cert letters for the bariatric patients automatically compile with information that I need in them. You do it once and don't have to do it again.

Summary

I am incredibly pleased with Praxis. Praxis is straightforward to learn and easy to navigate. It is more cost effective than anything else. Yet most importantly, it is free of any coercion or pressure from big businesses and insurance companies to do things a certain way. As the near future comes to pass, this may be a bigger factor in our practices than any of us could imagine.