The Center for Neurology and Neurophysiology (CNN) in Frisco, Texas, is a two-location general neurology practice that employs three neurologists and five mid-levels. The practice's mission is to deliver the best service to its patients and their families, while also providing state-of-the-art medical care for neurological disease coupled with compassion and personalized treatment plans.
As part of its mission, CNN realized it needed to enhance patient communication and boost provider satisfaction. It looked to their new partnership with CompuGroup Medical to help deliver on that mission through its electronic health records (EHR), practice management, and revenue cycle management solutions.
Since adopting CGM APRIMA as its EHR for neurology, CNN has benefited from improved provider workflows, enhanced patient communication, and greater provider satisfaction, according to Frederick Lopez, the practice's business manager.
"One thing we like about CGM APRIMA is that we can customize it to the practice, not the other way around where the practice has to customize to the EHR," Lopez said.
CGM APRIMA is actually working with our providers rather than our providers fighting with an EHR system.
Frederick Lopez, Business Manager
Easy customization, more efficient workflow
The task management capabilities of CGM APRIMA have enabled CNN to automatically route, track, and document much of its routine workflow, freeing staff to spend more time with patients and focus on more important projects. After adopting CGM APRIMA, CNN uncovered new efficiencies that practice leadership hadn’t previously been aware of when selecting and implementing the solutions, according to Lopez.
For example, CompuGroup Medical worked with CNN to route communications in a manner that maximizes efficiency for patients, staff, and physicians. "From our perspective, CGM APRIMA is actually working with our providers rather than our providers fighting with an EHR system," he said.
Another key advantage of the integrated messaging and workflow system in CGM APRIMA is that it streamlines workflow, generating automated reminders, notifying clinicians when lab results arrive or are overdue, and enabling initiation and tracking of administrative tasks, for example.
Timely communication, happier patients thanks to an EHR for neurology
The CGM APRIMA patient portal, Lopez says, has improved patient engagement while more actively involving patients in their own care. The portal enables fast, secure, and convenient, multi-directional communication between patients, their providers, and practice staff.
Our leading solution, CGM APRIMA is a uniquely fast, flexible, and powerful EHR. With ambient AI functionality, CGM APRIMA streamlines and complements your existing workflow.
"One of the things that we always get a compliment from, especially the patients who get really comfortable with our group, is that we’re able to communicate to them in a timely manner," he said. "So by using the portal, they're able to send us a message, and then in-between patients, the providers are able to respond to them."
Lopez notes that communication through the portal is superior to phone calls or voicemails, as the portal enables providers to correspond with patients or answering questions when they have a few free minutes between patient visits. "Most patients get an answer to their question in the same day," Lopez said.
Adding to the convenience for providers, CGM APRIMA features mobile access for phones and tablets, enabling clinicians to access EHR data from anywhere an internet connection is available. In addition to patient correspondence, providers can use Aprima Mobile to complete tasks such as reviewing a patient’s complete medical history, approving or acting on lab results, and refilling and writing prescriptions.
Combating physician burnout with an EHR for neurology
For many physicians, their number one source of frustration is a lack of time to spend on patient care due to an overabundance of administrative tasks. This frustration can result in feelings of burnout and general job-related dissatisfaction.
That hasn't happened at CNN since adopting CGM APRIMA. To the contrary, the system's flexible, customizable workflows have reduced late working hours for providers, enabling them to achieve a healthier work-life balance, according to Lopez.
"Because we are a little bit more efficient, we're able to streamline some of the processes," he said. "So, we're not staying until 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening to answer calls or return messages. Throughout the day, we're able to respond through the portal to communicate with patients in a timely manner. The workload is a lot less at the end of the day."
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