Special Report: EHRs and the right way to transform your practice

Why This Topic Matters

The article helps practices understand how EHR and portal decisions connect to federal incentive eligibility, workflow change, and data management planning. It is relevant for organizations trying to align technology investments with compliance timelines and long-term practice operations.

Article Sections

1. The difference between EHRs and portals

   Introduces the distinct roles of electronic health records and patient portals and why the two technologies are often discussed together. It also explains their general relationship to practice operations.

2. Meaningful use still unclear

   Discusses uncertainty around evolving meaningful use criteria and the broader implications for technology planning. It references federal timelines and the need to monitor rulemaking.

3. EHRs and portals work better together

   Describes general efficiency and workflow advantages when both systems are used together. It also covers broad effects on patient interaction and administrative processes.

4. The road to both an EHR and a portal

   Outlines the decision framework for practices that need to adopt both technologies but have neither in place yet. It compares high-level considerations involved in choosing an implementation sequence.

5. The data

   Summarizes survey findings on EHR adoption across different practice sizes. It presents general adoption patterns and the role of practice scale.

6. You already have an EHR

   Covers the situation where a practice already has an EHR and is considering adding a portal. It focuses on broad integration and expansion considerations.

7. You already have a patient portal

   Covers the situation where a practice already has a portal and is planning for an EHR. It discusses broad migration, compatibility, and data-handling considerations.