Managing a medical practice is tough if your EHR is slowing your workflow and getting in the way of patient care. Medical practices that were early to jump on the bandwagon of EHR technology may be getting frustrated with their older, clunky systems. EHR technology has come a long way in the past few years. Knowing the “Hateful 8” signs of a poorly functioning EHR will help you make a switch to newer EHR technology that can make your practice life easier.

Back in 2014, the AMA Advisory Committee on EHR Physician Usability collected feedback from physicians on the challenges they were experiencing with EHRs and published a list of priorities for improving EHRs. The AMA’s list had eight areas where EHRs needed improvement–we call it the EHR “Hateful 8.”

The “Hateful 8” Signs of a Poorly Functioning EHR

A good EHR system shouldn’t come at the expense of patient care or your practice efficiency. Are you experiencing any of these issues with your current EHR?

1. Interfering with patient care
Interfering with the ability to provide quality patient care is the bright white line for physicians. If you are spending more time clicking around your EHR than interacting with patients, you’ve got a problem.

2. Poor team communication
Are physicians, administrators, billing, and support staff able to effectively communicate with each other? If you’re spending too much time getting team members up to speed, it’s time to find an EHR with a more efficient way to communicate.

3. Lack of care coordination
How much time do you and your staff spend tracking down lab results, x-rays, prescription renewals and refills, or referring physician notes? The need to have coordinated access and retrieval of important clinical information in your EHR is critical to creating your plan of care.

4. Adding to the workload
A few years after adopting EHR technology, a Black Book market research study on EHR loyalty found that only 28 percent thought their productivity improved. If your EHR is hindering—not helping—your workflow, it’s time to make a switch.

5. No custom options
EHR technology shouldn’t be one size fits all. To get the most of an EHR system, it has to be customizable to the way you practice. From forms to workflow, your EHR has to be able to meet the unique needs of your practice.

6. Unwieldy data
If you’re not using an EHR that is cloud-based, your data is probably difficult to collect, maintain, and retrieve easily. Data stored on old server hardware requires constant backup and expensive in-house technical support. You also have to worry about security breaches and data losses due to natural disasters or other emergencies that threaten the safe storage and retrieval of your patient information.

7. Few mobile options
Paper-based systems tie you down with expensive and time consuming manual tasks like creating files, generating receipts, organizing, and retrieving information. If your EHR doesn’t have mobile capability, you’re stuck at a computer. If you can’t access your data and patient information from a hand-held mobile device, your EHR is limiting your ability to practice on the go.

8. No product reviews or feedback
If your EHR vendor doesn’t allow you to provide product feedback or make enhancement requests, they won’t be able to upgrade or enhance their EHR product to better meet your needs.

If any of the items on this “Hateful 8” list sound familiar to you, it’s time to consider an EHR upgrade. AdvancedEHR helps you practice without paper and improve clinical accuracy and outcomes with complete and seamless data transfer across an entire suite of AdvancedMD products. AdvancedEHR offers a fully integrated cloud-based electronic health record system with innovative solutions to tackle the “Hateful 8” list.

Learn how the latest in EHR technology and innovations can help you find a better EHR next time around. Read the guide, EHR improvements after the AMA “Hateful 8” list.