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Technology has been evolving at break neck speed, and medical practices are rushing to keep up. The bigger practices have no qualms about installing new and advanced medical software and hardware because they have the resources. But what about smaller medical practices? Sometimes, in the midst of all that work, technology is placed in the back seat. Perhaps it’s time to relook at the possibility to implementing technology to help automate some of the operational processes.

One major challenge that all medical practices have to overcome is the management of medical records. It is fine to keep and retrieve records manually, but this method cannot carry on indefinitely. As the practice grows, the patient base also grows. This makes it hard for the staff to keep and find medical records. Besides, there are other operational issues to think about. For example, payment collections become more and more difficult. It is almost impossible to send reminders if there is no proper way of tracking the bills. Also, communications between staff (or the various departments) may break down due to lack of real time information.

For these reasons, the wise doctor looks at implementing technology before everything gets out of hand. One way to solve such operational problems is to install medical charting software. Fortunately, many small practice owners have already jumped on the band wagon and setup electronic charting software such as SpringCharts to help with documentation issues. SpringCharts is a Java based software application that helps to organize documents. A well organized database of records improves the overall efficiency of the entire operation. The goal is to free up the time of the staff, so that more resources can be allocated to patient care.

Independent practice owners often have to think about business aspects as well. For sure, having a documentation software that helps streamlines process will help improve the bottom line and boost profit margins.

Making profits is important, but the existence of a medical practice is not just to make profits. It is to provide high quality medical care for the patients. Technology can help improve medical care by taking care of the “grunt work” that often comes with running a medical practice.

Imagine having to create charts manually from the patient records. Without the right software, this is virtually an impossible task. With a software such as SpringCharts, both physician and staff have access to up to date patient records. The software’s design is based on a time-proven work flow. Doctors and medical staff will find it easy to operate the software because they are already familiar with the work flow, which is based on industry standards.

When consider medical charting software, be sure to consider how to integrate the software with existing programs. You would want all functional software to be operating from one integrated database to avoid confusion.

Faculty and students listened attentively as Mayor Grant discussed strategic health priorities for his City of Excellence and explained the importance of turning research into action in achieving them. Mayor Grant also enlightened the audience about how the university and the community may build a relationship based on trust and mutual respect.

Click here to watch the video and learn more!

The UMD-Prevention Research Center of the School of Public Health announced its launch in conjunction with campus events recognizing World AIDS Day. It was a perfect setting for the launch, as the Center’s initial focus will be on HIV/STD prevention in the area.

The UMD-PRC is one of only 35 centers of its kind, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It aims to unite community members, academic researchers, and public health agencies to identify health disparities and develop innovative ways to promote health and prevent disease. Our PRC is unique, in that it will focus on a specific geographical area: UMD-PRC is dedicated to shrinking the health disparity gap of the national capital border in Prince George’s County.

The announcement was made at the “Universal Access and Human Rights” World AIDS Day event, co-sponsored by UMD-PRC and the campus’s Nyumburu Cultural Center.

The Center has already been collaborating with the Sexually Transmitted Infections Community Coalition, a regional STD/HIV prevention enterprise, to organize counseling and testing events in Prince George’s County, and it has been cataloging current and potential partners that may provide resources for addressing STD/HIV in Prince George’s County.

UMD-PRC and its partners are preparing to tackle the challenges ahead. Among the Prince George’s County statistics, 5,578 persons living with HIV and AIDS as of June 30, 2008, and the 2007 estimate of reported syphilis cases in the county is 11.2 per 100,000.

Local officials spoke at the event, and recognized the great potential of building a partnership with UMD-PRC…

Mayor Eugene Grant, the City of Seat Pleasant: “We believe that having a partnership with an institution like the University of Maryland, one of the greatest institutions here in the United States, and for that matter, in the world, is where we have an incubation of thought.”

Dr. Donald Shell, health officer of Prince George’s County: “I think it’s a wonderful partnership with the School of Public Health here on campus for the Prince George’s County Health Department, and I think only great things will continue to happen.”

Dr. Yvette Butler, founder of GapBuster Learning Center, Inc., a nonprofit educational program dedicated to closing the performance gap of students: “We know that with us together, we can conquer HIV.”

Learn more about the UMD-PRC; CDC Prevention Research Center program; Prince George’s County Health Department; Nyumburu Cultural Center; GapBusters; and Sexually Transmitted Infections Community Coalition.