Electronic health records (EHRs) are imperative in a society where customization, instant gratification, and flexibility have become the norm for people’s daily routines, including those with behavioral health needs. In therapeutic settings, adopting behavioral health EHR software such as CarePaths is a great way to meet clients’ needs no matter where they are, whether online, in person, or through a hybrid program.
Savvy and efficient practitioners can easily tailor their behavioral health EHR system to meet the needs of their business and clients and provide access to records, documents, prescriptions, and resources with the swipe of a screen or click of a button.
When working with clients in person, you may need to help them understand the importance of behavioral health EHR software, including how to use it and view it as a vital component of care. They will have a certain amount of control over their care and your assurance that your treatments and services will remain robust and compliant with HIPAA requirements. This type of software works seamlessly to maintain the Collaborative Care Model to ensure that everyone is working to optimize patient outcomes.
The collaborative features of CarePaths, which are especially important in person, include ePrescribing, where prescriptions can be submitted via a mobile device; the Patient Records feature, which enables practitioners to keep notes and create and maintain outcomes and treatment plans; the practice management tool, which enables scheduling; and the Coordination of Care feature, which provides a way for the practitioner to make direct referrals and provide summaries at the touch of a button.
Essentially, this behavioral health EHR software eliminates paperwork and the need for multiple client-administrative interactions and supports increased client-practitioner relationship building and service engagements by providing both parties with more time to interface directly and focus on the therapeutic approach, which is the cornerstone of improved behavioral results.
When using CarePaths online, various tools enable behavioral health professionals to provide the same collaborative, patient-centered care that they would to their in-patient clients. The expectation for cooperation among providers, patients and their families, and relevant community members should remain the same. Additionally, privacy, confidentiality, inclusion, and customized care stay at the forefront of any good behavioral health practice.
The heightened security of the platform itself, alongside the feature of Client Communications, allows for teletherapy (SMS, chat, and video), secure patient messaging, and a patient portal. Client choice is always important, and with behavioral health EHR software, there is no need to make demands on camera or audio use. Clients can engage with their providers in the way that is most comfortable for them, knowing that they are being supported along the way. CarePaths offers great support and is user friendly, so clients and practitioners can navigate and troubleshoot the site independently in instances of slow internet connection, system failures, or technical adaptability issues.
Most importantly, using behavioral health EHR software heightens access to services. Practitioners can feel confident that they are doing their part to ensure that clients in hard-to-reach areas can receive treatment. Virtual care has been normalized, and no client should feel like their care is inferior simply because they are online instead of in an office. In fact, using a behavioral health EHR system should put clients at ease with the knowledge that they have a secure support system that is readily available to them on any preferred device in the comfort of their homes.
Virtual therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy, so practices can provide their patients the opportunity to be served and work to meet clients where they are with a simple, cost-effective solution like CarePaths.
Going virtual can also corporately expand a behavioral health practice. An online therapy option grows business through mechanisms such as practice building tools, which can establish a referral network and engage clients outside of therapy. It also can increase credibility by enabling users to use the Practice Management tool to report and account for variables impacting business and patient outcomes. Billing can be done through this tool, and it also provides free claims, eligibility, and payment processing.
The idea is that as the practice grows by offering both online and in-person services, the platform also scales to meet expanding needs. Behavioral health EHR software like CarePaths is useful for practices of any type or size because it is meant to optimize the practitioner’s professional capability while reducing the burden of administrative tasks that often lead to burnout and low work morale in the field. Simply by adding this solution to the practice, providers will have more energy to work with clients, a way to document their accomplishments, and added esteem from being well-supported, connected, and self-directed.
The most significant benefit of using a behavioral health EHR system is that it is the only way to establish and sustain a practice today, whether online or in person. Practitioners must remain flexible and available so they can best serve their clients. Software like CarePaths enables this to happen quickly and affordably.
Here at CarePaths, we help therapists work more effectively and improve patient outcomes. To learn more about how we can help you, start your free trial today!
