Each medical specialty comes with a unique set of challenges, and family medicine is no exception. Family physicians can overcome many of these clinical, financial and operational challenges using effective software solutions.
In this update, PYP takes a look at the state of this specialty, and what family physicians should consider in their health IT decision-making.
The State of Family Medicine
Family physicians (FPs) provide continuous and comprehensive care to patients of all ages. They promote wellness and diagnose and treat a wide range of ailments. FPs often act as a ‘medical home’ for each patient, coordinating their care among all providers who treat them. FPs also refer patients to specialists for further evaluation, as needed.
Colleagues consider family physicians the “gatekeepers” of care because of their long-term and essential role in both preventive and treatment capacities. In the U.S., family medicine visits account for one in four office visits. This likely is no surprise to FPs, who see an average of 23 patients a day.
FPs work primarily in outpatient practices with two to three providers. FP practices normally employ between five and six staff members, including billers, office managers, receptionists, and physician assistants. General practice physicians in outpatient settings normally work between 50 to 70 hours per week. According to a QuantiaMD/CareCloud PPI report, at least 10 of those hours are spent on administrative tasks like updating patient notes, reviewing labs, and replying to messages. This shows the need for FPs to adopt a practice management solution that streamlines these duties.
What Software Functionality Do Family Physicians Need?
Because of their broad scope of services, family physicians need their practice management and EHR software to perform a wide range of tasks. Also, FPs coordinate care for many patients who see multiple providers, so they should look for an EHR with strong interoperability capabilities.
Primary care providers also need ePrescribing functionality and the ability to electronically order/receive lab results and referrals to help with potentially high volumes of patient encounters.
ICD-10 coding could present a particular challenge for FPs because of the broad range of conditions they treat, make sure to find family physician software that automatically updates and proactively prepares for the ICD-10 transition.
If family physicians keep these features in mind when shopping for medical software, they should be able to buy a system that will help their daily workflow and improve the level of care they provide.
Xavier E. Martinez contributed to this post.
