With multiple electronic health records system options in the marketplace, those seeking a new system have an interesting choice since each vendor and solution brings something unique to the table. Plus, practices in different stages look for different things — with some switching from old systems, to some just starting up and others finally moving off paper.
This content is sponsored by Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology.
Becker's ASC Review spoke to several users in different situations about the system they selected, and one system stood out — gGastro®, the GI-specific suite from Modernizing Medicine® Gastroenterology.
The right EHR for practices switching technology
Thomas D. Punteney, Chief Operating Officer of Charleston (S.C.) GI Specialists, manages operations for three offices and two surgery centers with 11 providers on staff. Charleston GI Specialists implemented gGastro and its practice management system, gPM, in 2013. After using the EHR in its endoscopy center for four years, Mr. Punteney then implemented the cloud-based EHR throughout the entire practice in 2017.
According to Mr. Punteney the decision to switch was based heavily on the frustrations of his experience with his practice's existing platforms. He said, "With gGastro now as our EMR, we have all things equal and everything works out swimmingly."
Before the switch, Mr. Punteney consulted with his physicians and an outside consulting group to pick the EHR they liked the most — gGastro.
"If you are asking if Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology is any good, I will tell you,” he explained. “Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology and gGastro have been wonderful to work with. They are very accommodating and Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology has been a very good product. It's easy to use, and it's cost effective for us."
The right EHR for a new practice
Rajiv Sharma, MD, of Indiana-based Digestive Health Associates echoed Mr. Punteney's sentiment about gGastro. Dr. Sharma recently launched his own GI practice in Terre Haute. He first experienced gMed while practicing in a large Evansville, Indiana-based GI group. The GI-specific content and the simple note taking process made gGastro a quintessential part of his daily practice.
However, when the Evansville group first made the decision to switch to Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology, Dr. Sharma was hesitant because he had grown accustomed to his practice's old system. "But once I jumped into [Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology],” said Dr. Sharma, “I was like, wow, taking notes is so easy. It took away the pain of documentation. It was a very efficient way to see patients and do documentation to hit all the billing and coding points."
Elaborating on the gastroenterology-specific features, Dr. Sharma said gGastro comes preloaded with GI content that helps take the pain out of coding. "If someone has diarrhea, belly pain or nausea, every symptom is in the system. Every piece of information gets populated into your HPI documentation so you can satisfy documentation requirements," he said.
The system also accommodates value-based care by automatically gathering MIPS metrics. This allows a practice administrator to run a report and keep a practice on track to meet its annual reporting requirements.
The right EHR for a practice moving from paper
Samuel Gun, DO, of Clinton Township, Mich.-based Tri-County Gastroenterology, implemented gGastro in February 2016 to avoid potential government penalties for not using an EHR. Tri-County had already used the gGastro Endoscopy Report Writer for some time, and knew gGastro was “a natural fit." Since implementing the EHR fully, Dr. Gun touted multiple practice improvements.
"Having a GI-specific EHR has made our transition to electronic health records painless. The entire gGastro suite incorporates the Endoscopy Report Writer, Practice Management and EHR platforms in your practice, and it offers additional benefits such as gAdvisor and gInsights. The efficiency of the suite of gGastro products is invaluable."
Why Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology was the right gastroenterology EHR
Created specifically for gastroenterologists, the gGastro suite incorporates a variety of features that help capture the patient visit in a streamlined and automated manner. The suite includes a server or cloud-based gastroenterology EHR system, as well as a practice management solution, gPM™, and an Endoscopy Report Writer. Plus, the EHR is interoperable among practice locations, increasing workflow and data gathering efficiencies for quality reporting. The gGastro suite also offers additional benefits such as gInsights™, an analytics system, and gAdvisor™, where clients can receive personal guidance from a certified MIPS coach.
While each practice came to Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology in a different way, the overall sentiment concerning Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology was overwhelmingly positive. To learn more about Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology or to request information on gGastro™, click here.