What is Alternative & Holistic Medicine EMR Software?
Alternative & Holistic Medicine is gaining traction as more and more people distance themselves from the use of pharmaceutical drugs and look towards natural ingredients and lifestyle changes as the solution to their healthcare ailments. Yet a holistic practice itself is no different from orthodox medical practice. Alternative Medical Practitioners have the same concerns as General Practitioners and seek to increase their revenue and reduce the waste of resources.
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software provides the same solution to Alternative & Holistic medicine that it does to general medicine. It helps streamline administrative and clinical operations and integrates all aspects of the practice for quick data entry and accurate billing.
Features of Alternative & Holistic Medicine EHR Software
To have a good understanding of how Electronic Health Records (EHR) Software works, it is advisable to learn about the different features and functionalities of the software. The following guide highlights the key features that should be considered before choosing an Alternative Medicine EMR Software:
Predefined Templates – Many EMR Software products today feature built-in clinical templates to make charting or note-taking easier. Alternative Medicine EMR Software will have customizable templates designed specifically for practitioners who can edit them further to suit their practice policy. A tool for saving time, templates can be edited to take notes through dictation devices to leave the practitioner hands-free through their consultations.
Custom Prescription List – Electronic Health Records Software (EHR) usually has a list of prescription recommendations for practitioners to choose from. Because alternative medicine does not rely on most prescription drugs the prescription list would be very different. The Alternative Medicine EHR software would have vitamins and compounds on the prescription list.
Patient Education Module – Nurturing patients is essential. For greater patient satisfaction a Patient Education Module should be formulated that makes use of emails, pamphlets, and even texts explaining the treatment, the drugs prescribed, and how they aim to improve patient health.
Quick Order Sets – Customized SOAP notes make patient charting efficient; the same can be done with prescriptions. Quick order sets allow practitioners to customize prescription lists to match certain diagnoses, for quicker prescriptions. These lists should be customizable, with alerts in case of allergies.
Progress Tracking & Imaging Integration – Detailed Alternative & Holistic Electronic Medical Records software (EMR) notes should allow practitioners to track progress through charts and graphs and should be integrated with labs, and diagnostic equipment, as well as image annotation templates for a quick view of progress.
E&M Codes and Billing – The treatment might be different but the diagnosis is usually the same. Alternative & Holistic medicine EMR software should have built-in CPT and ICD-10 codes to ensure a seamless billing process.
Workflow Management – If you work in an Alternative Medicine practice, you have to deal with recording and storing large volumes of data. The EMR software should be able to manage, document, and maintain all the Alternative & Holistic Medicine related workflows. This helps the physicians in having a better understanding of the condition of the patient and helps them in taking the right decisions at the right times.
Real-time Dashboard – The Alternative & Holistic Medicine EHR software must feature a real-time dashboard that will help physicians clearly view patient charts, profiles, billing processes, scheduling etc. all in one place. The dashboard also saves the time that is taken in opening multiple tabs.
What You Need To Know About an EMR Software
Overview
Electronic Medical Records Software or commonly referred to as EMR Software represents the electronic method of storing medical records for patients. Using specially designed software, physicians and other medical professionals can store anything ranging from patient demographics to extensive clinical information about patients, such as medical history, social history, lab reports and more.
EMR Software by Specialty
Since all medical providers (MDs, DOs, PAs, NPs, LCSW, OT etc.) work in a distinct manner based on their background and medical specialty, EMR Software or EHR Software must accommodate the unique style and documentation requirements. Examples of such specialty-specific features include the ability to annotate images or the capability to store before/after photos for Pain Management specialists and Dermatology specialists respectively. Similarly, other specialties such as Alternative & Holistic Medicine, Pediatrics, Oncology, Podiatry, Ophthalmology, Neurology, Nephrology, Dialysis Centers, Rheumatology and Chiropractic Care require their unique set of specialty-specific features to simplify adoption.
Meaningful-Use
Since the introduction of the HITECH Act, healthcare IT has undergone a massive transition starting from the widely recognized Meaningful Use program to what is now known as MACRA, the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. The Meaningful Use program has transformed and now formed part of the four components of the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), which itself is a fundamental part of MACRA.
For some medical practices, the transition from paper-based records to EMR Software (Electronic Medical Records Software) has not been a simple one. Regardless, realizing that the benefits of utilizing ONC Certified EHR Software far outweigh the hassle and challenges associated with it – ensuring a viable future, most practices today have successfully transformed their clinical and administrative operations to EMR Software.
EMR Software Benefits
Aside from ensuring tangible financial incentives and profitability, practices converting to EMR / EHR Software have seen the following benefits:
EMR Software Requirements by Practice Size
Just like a medical specialty, EHR Software requirements also depend on the size of the medical practice. From solo provider clinics to large multi-provider, multi-specialty clinics, every practice has unique inherent challenges that must be addressed by the EMR Software vendor.
Small or Solo Provider Practices
A small doctor’s office not only has a limited number of staff members but their EHR Software budgets are also extremely low compared to a large enterprise such as a hospital. Due to these budgetary constraints, many providers simply choose to employ Free EMR Software or choose an affordable EHR Software vendor with a low fixed monthly fee. Cloud-based access is one such important requirement so that these providers can access patient charts even from home when needed.
Medium-Sized Practices
These practices usually consist of 5 to 10 medical providers often belonging to the same medical specialty. Their requirements are more stringent, while their budget is also considerably large. Aside from specialty-focused requirements (EHR Software by Specialty), these practices also require unique features such as interoperability dedicated customer support, multi-device support as well as extensive reporting functionality to keep an eye on the overall performance of the practice.
Large Practices
Larger group practices generally comprise more fifteen or often twenty medical providers. These practices usually provide medical services that fall under various medical specialties (Orthopedics, Pain Management, Surgery, Chiropractic Medicine, Family Medicine etc.). Therefore, these practices require support for multiple users to access the system simultaneously, as well as for the Scheduling software to accommodate multiple locations, providers and resources such as Dialysis Chairs, procedure room allocation etc. These practices also keep replacing or adding staff members and need a scalable solution.
Hospitals or Enterprise Organizations
EHR software companies such as Epic, Cerner, AllScripts, NextGen, Athenahealth, IMS by Meditab, eClinicalWorks, Meditech, McKesson, MEDHOST etc. usually target and provide solutions for larger corporations like Hospitals, ACOs, PCMH, IPAs, CINs (Clinically Integrated Networks), Public Health Departments etc.
These customers have the most elaborate list of requirements, which are usually documented in the form of an RFI or RFP to assess and shortlist vendors that can meet them. The requirements consist of features like inventory management modules, interface with local labs (LIS), machines and diagnostic equipment along with drug dispensing (pharmacy management software) and electronic medication administration records (EMAR) etc.
These entities also require the EMR software also need to integrate with multiple other software and medical devices.
Why does your practice need EMR Software?
Since the introduction of Meaningful Use, most healthcare practices simply have little or no choice but to convert their practice operations to EHR software. However, most providers today select the EHR software of their choice that best suits their specific needs and must perform an extensive search to evaluate all available options before they find one that’s suitable. Most potential EMR Software buyers in the market today have the following in common:
- Do not know what they are looking for
- Know exactly what they want but don’t know where to start or find it
- Relying on advice from colleagues using EMR software already
Although #3 is ideal, every provider and practice workflows are unique and therefore what works for one provider may not suit the other. “One size fits all” simply does not apply in the world of healthcare IT. Software experts and industry specialists are an ideal source of information, advice and ultimately ensuring that the right decision is made.
What to Look For in a Potential EMR Software?
EMR software includes several types of software based on specific applications or functionalities:
Cloud-based EMR Software
Small doctor offices benefit the most from cloud-based EMR Software technology since minimum to no upfront cost or maintenance is required and accessing the EHR Software is possible from any location given the availability of internet access. This type of EMR software is also device dependent in most cases and can be accessed using devices such as Smartphones (Android & iOS), iPhones, iPads, laptops, and desktop computers. The move to the public cloud for healthcare is vital in the current changing landscape. For practices that do not adopt new cloud services, the old inferior feature-set coupled with the higher prices will hinder the business dramatically. This gulf between the old software and the new cloud-based software will only grow more exponentially as time goes on.
Mac EMR Software
Apple dominates the digital device and computer market in the US today, so it is no surprise that many providers are specifically looking for their EMR Software vendor to support the Mac operating system (Mac EMR Software). Not all Vendors today work on a Mac device, so looking for a vendor with native support for Mac devices is essential to ensure that the software performs on existing hardware at the practice and does not require more investment in computer systems.
ONC-ATCB Certified EMR Software Vendors
This is the most significant requirement for most software buyers today as the software must comply with the standards and guidelines set by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). Online repository details all software vendors and details related to their respective compliance with the measures set by the ONC (Click here). Software that complies with these standards have undergone rigorous testing and confirmed at a benchmark level defined by the federal body. The software testing done during this exercise checks all areas of the EMR Software system from Patient Portal access to the way the EHR Software communicates with other programs and entities like labs, Pharmacies (via e-Rx), hospitals, HIEs etc.
Alternative & Holistic Medicine EHR Software
Electronic health records software (EHR) for certain specialties such as holistic care medicine or pain management care must provide tools to reduce the workload by seamlessly documenting the clinical workflow of those specialties and specifying the areas of concern (for example anxiety) and providing improved methods for capturing text, scanning images and reports, e-prescription and management of raw data
Integrated Practice Management Software
With competition rising in healthcare IT, EMR software providing integrated Practice Management software as part of their overall software package easily outperforms rivals with standalone EHR Software including those that may offer a specialty-specific EMR software. EHR Software companies with integrated Practice Management solutions often provide extensive reporting capabilities to track practice performance and manage business operations better.
Integrated Medical Billing Software
Medical practice has several needs of software systems to streamline operations across the board. One such important area is billing for services rendered and communications with insurance companies. Medical Billing Software, therefore, works best when integrated with the Electronic Health Records software. All clinical documentation seamlessly conforms to the required standard and forms a financial document that can be electronically sent to payers (insurance carriers) to verify and process at their end. This simplifies the operations and ensures all parties are on the same page when it comes to the financial health of the enterprise. Medical billing software helps practices and medical billing managers generate claims, patient statements, verify patient eligibility and more. This software is ideal for practices who want to handle billing in-house and can integrate with EHRs.
Security
An EMR Software must ensure the security and safety of patient records while ensuring privacy and HIPAA compliance for patient/doctor communication (Patient Portal). This is a paramount concern for physicians and HIPAA compliance should be guaranteed at all times by the EHR Vendor. Most Vendors today (Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, AdvancedMD, PrognoCIS, Modernizing Medicine, eClincalWorks etc.) are aware of the importance of HIPAA compliance and have taken steps to ensure the safety of patient records security in every section of the EHR Software using advanced tools like data encryption technologies to enhance the security of the EMR software.
ChARM EHR Software
Specific Services
One of the decisions your practice will have to make is whether you want just EMR software or one with integrated Practice Management for billing and scheduling. There are advantages to having both together but there have been cases where some practices only go for one if they had unique requirements that a vendor could not fulfill or they had already paid a hefty amount for PM software and were not looking to replace it yet.
Ease of Use and Training
Doctors are not IT professionals, and though some might be tech-savvy, it would be egregious to expect them all to be experts on the EMR software. Ease of use is essential to make the transition from paper to electronic smooth, as well as day to day practice to go along without a hitch. If the software is too complicated and hard to understand, it is a waste of precious time and needlessly aggravating. Some vendors offer free training while others don’t; make sure you ask for training if your practice needs it.
Support
Support is a major issue most practices have with their current vendors. A good support team can make small glitches to major roadblocks easy to maneuver while a bad one will just make things worse. Some vendors provide support as part of the plan you’re already paying for, while others charge extra for support. Scout the market, read reviews or just ask point blank if there will be a special support team assigned to each practitioner and whether you’ll be charged for the service.
Hidden Cost
There are varying price lists out there; some offer free services, while others charge an arm and a leg for specialty services. Either way, there will be hidden costs that you might get to know about later. Fix your budget and talk to vendors you interview about hidden costs within the contract and whether services such as training and support are free.
Mobility
Smartphones have changed the dynamics of mobile usage. Handheld devices are easy to carry around and can be used for any number of uses. Most people are ditching the cumbersome PC for a handheld device. Doctors mostly use iPads or Tablets in the examination room to take down patient symptoms, check the history and note down the prescription, so it is imperative that the vendor has a mobile application that’s synced with all the mobile devices being used in the practice.
Praxis EMR Software
Markets Trends to Be Aware Of
Like anything else, the EMR software industry is also subject to constant changes. From new technology to legalities and governing bodies, everything is constantly changing. Here are some of the changes I think it would do well for you to keep track of.
Cloud-Based Services
It was revealed in a previously conducted research how only 25% of practitioners were interested in a web-based model and only 50% were willing to have it as an initial model that eventually transitioned to cloud-based. But now it’s established how cloud-based EHR software cuts down on steep upfront costs for client-servers and can be hosted on any device that has a web-browser. It’s no surprise how more and more vendors are transitioning to cloud-based software also because the industry demands are changing.
EMR/EHR Software Demand
In 2025, the demand for EMR software solutions for healthcare practices has continued to rise, with market growth estimated at around 6-7% year-over-year as healthcare providers increasingly prioritize digital transformation and interoperability. This increase is largely driven by the adoption of advanced technologies like AI and cloud computing within these systems, which enhance clinical workflows and patient care. Epic Systems has expanded its dominance, now capturing over 35% of the market, particularly among large multi-specialty organizations. Meanwhile, Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) has faced challenges, especially in retaining smaller hospitals, contributing to a slight decline in its market share. Together, major players like Epic, Oracle Health, Meditech and Allscripts account for a significant portion of the current EHR market.
Accessibility
EMR software is quickly widening their range of practice types in order to become more accessible to healthcare services. The amount of people who lack the time and knowledge, who are in health IT, is increasing each year. This makes optimizing these software solutions more difficult as they must now cater to different needs. Douglas W. Bowerman, MD, predicts we will see a “continued trend towards accessibility” in EHRs, both in terms of how we access them – on mobile for instance – and who can access the software.
Artificial Intelligence
In recent years, advancements in AI and machine learning have dramatically changed the healthcare industry. As these technologies continue to evolve, they are likely to have a significant impact on the future of EHR (Electronic Health Record) and EMR software. By leveraging AI and machine learning algorithms, EMR systems can become more intuitive and efficient, streamlining clinical workflows and improving patient outcomes. The application of AI and machine learning will also enable EHR systems to provide more personalized and proactive care, by analyzing patient data and identifying potential health issues early on. Additionally, these technologies have the potential to revolutionize clinical research and drug development by providing access to vast amounts of patient data and insights.
