Figuring out how to run a physical therapy clinic can be easier with the right EMR system: Here’s why

An electronic medical records (EMR) system is a technology that allows for the collection of medical records in a digital format. With the help of an EMR system, files and records can be safely stored in an organized and secure manner. There are many benefits to implementing an EMR system into your practice. The software can make figuring out how to run a physical therapy clinic much easier. Although using a system like this presents many unique advantages, surprisingly, only about 4% of outpatient practices in the U.S. rely on EMRs. Many smaller start-up practices may find EMR systems intimidating or confusing, and undervalue the impact that the system can have on their clinic.

3 challenges new clinic owners face when trying to figure out how to run a physical therapy clinic

• Long work hours for employees — Employees often work long hours in a physical therapy office, especially when first starting out. Those long hours can improve the functionality of the practice but can ultimately be draining for those who put in that extra effort.

• Physician referrals — It can sometimes feel painful going through the process of acquiring referral forms from physicians. The referral process, combined with insurance barriers, can be taxing.

• Updates to technology — New clinic owners will likely face advances in technology as part of their journey in running a physical therapy clinic. Whether it be equipment advances or the adoption of telehealth services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, EMR systems can help you manage it all.

4 benefits of EMR systems that make running a physical therapy clinic easier

• Easier to make quick updates to records — With this type of digital program, your office processes can be completed more quickly and efficiently. Digital record-keeping ensures a convenient way to make updates and keep notes with each patient’s physical therapy visit.

• Faster communication with physicians and insurance companies — Communicating with insurance companies and doctor’s offices can sometimes be painstaking. This is especially the case for many administrative assistants at physical therapy practices. EMR systems take the hard work out of this process for your staff, so that referrals and insurance approvals are just a click away.

• Better protection of patient data — Electronic medical records systems significantly increase patient privacy. Patient data that is traditionally stored in a physical filing cabinet with a paper filing system poses a security risk for patients. Their confidential records are accessible to anyone with a key. However, with an EMR system, these files are now encrypted and protected in a secure online cloud. In the event that a computer in the office becomes damaged, your patients’ data remains safe and accessible.

• Integrated telehealth capabilities — EMR systems make telehealth integration into your PT clinic easy. Many systems come with telehealth capabilities built into their software. Built-in features may include video chatting, appointment scheduling and appointment reminders. These features make virtual appointments easy.

To all physical therapy clinic owners and directors

If you’re a new physical therapy clinic owner or director, you should know the benefits of an EMR system. Implementing this type of program into your clinic from the very start can put you on the fast track to a successful practice.

AgileEMR can help you figure out how best to run your physical therapy clinic

AgileEMR is a health care practice management software solution designed for therapists and created by therapists. We officially launched our software in 2013 to get to the root of the issues that physical therapists and clinicians frequently run into with generic clinical EMR systems: None of them were created with physical therapy in mind. We consulted with physical therapists and physiotherapy clinicians when developing our physical therapy software. This was how we could confidently ensure that our software program meets the demands of this unique health care field. Since launching, AgileEMR has been used in more than 1 million patient cases by all kinds of providers in the outpatient physical therapy and hospital rehabilitation fields. We know that EMR systems are driving the future of outpatient physical therapy. To see our physical therapy and rehabilitation partners, click here.

If you’re a physical therapy clinic owner and you’re looking for more information on EMR systems or the features of our EMR program, look no further. We’re confident that our program can meet all your practice needs and can help keep your physical therapy clinic running smoothly. 

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule a demo to see how AgileEMR can help your practice.