Why Doctors Love Having EMR Access on Their Smartphones

Cell phone use is on the rise in the United States, with many people – healthcare professionals included – using their phones for school and work-related purposes. In fact, according to an August Vitera survey, 72 percent of healthcare professionals use their mobile devices for work. For doctors, smartphones provide a quick and easy way to communicate with patients and colleagues, conduct medical research on the go, and even access patient data. In order to do so, however, doctors need an EMR with smartphone access.

Currently, less than 10 percent of physicians use their smartphone to connect to their EMR, but many more would like to be able to do so. Of the healthcare professionals surveyed, physicians expressed the highest interest in having EMR access on their phones (91 percent), while practice administrators (66 percent) and billing managers (43 percent) followed close behind.

Although smartphone screens are much smaller than laptops and PCs, making a mobile version of an EMR system is possible, and many vendors are focusing on doing so. The key isn’t about replicating the desktop version but in adapting it for the small screen by focusing on the functionalities that physicians want most. This includes the ability to review and update patient charts, document patient encounters, and order prescriptions electronically. Many mobile EMRs even allow providers to order labs, assign tasks, and send private messages to staff. Being able to complete these tasks without being tied down to a desk allows providers to make better use of their time. In fact, it allows them to work from any location, at any time – even outside office hours.

To simplify the documentation process, which could be a bit difficult on small, touchscreen devices, many mobile EMRs offer real-time voice recognition capabilities and web-based dictation services. Others also allow providers to type a few letters and then bring up the desired term within the selected field. In some cases, in order to provide full access to the software from anywhere in the world, vendors offer remote or web-based EMR applications that can be accessed from laptops, tablets and mobile devices like smartphones.

Interested in learning more about our EMR with smartphone access? Contact us at 480-782-1116.