While EHRs are pervasive in the healthcare industry, ASCs have been slow to adopt them.
Two big reasons for the slow adoption by ASCs include the high expense of systems. When HITECH Act of 2009 passed, it provided financial incentives for hospitals to go electronic but not ASCs. Secondly, ASCs are not required to have EHRs to comply with quality and reporting standards. However, EHRs designed more for smaller or specialty providers can benefit surgery centers.
ASC software developer Surgical Information Systems broke down the top reasons why ASCs adopt EHRs on their blog.
Three things to know:
1. Cost reduction. Switching from paper records to an electronic system can help ASCs save time and money.
2. Compliance with standards. An EHR system can help ASCs track compliance with accreditation and quality standards.
3. Risk mitigation. EHRs can help ASCs protect sensitive patient data, reducing risk of a data breach or HIPAA violation.