Critical questions before deciding to move to OpenEMR

Day-to-Day Users
#1

We are a small group practice with three family doctors and are considering whether to start using openemr and replace our current EMR.
At present we are using an MS access based programme called Soapware and I need help to replicate some features before deciding on moving. I also need optimisation of my installed version and maybe some bug fixes.

Problems:

Prescriptions:

I need to enter custom list of medications I frequently prescribe rathter than relying on internet based lists
I need to be able to print precription on A5 paper and customise the header of the prescription depending on the doctor that is logged in

Laboratory results

Lab results are available to me in the form of a csv table, in my present setup, I paste into my present EMR and also paste results in a standard template which I then send a copy to patient usually by post.
I therefore need to easily import results into openEMR as well as produce a printout which can be sent to patient…that is I would need a printout with the patient demographic details and I would need to somehow enter the result and print.

Radiology report.
I need to be able to paste report from my email copy to openEMR

Certificates/ reports
I need to be able to have a number of templates for standard certificates where basically the text is standard and demographic data is taken from the patient data - I need to be able to easily generate new templates and the certificates (or reports) can be edited and printed

Communication
I know that OpenEMR can send messages through Twilio and similar.
Now I have my own SMS Gateway - I need OpenEMR to be configured so I can send messages through my gateway

I understand that there will probably be need for customisation. How do I get in touch with software providers who might help sort out these issues? Where could I start?

Thank you

Wilfred

#2

Hello @Wilfred_Galea
This is Harley Tuck.
Right off the top let me say that I work for MI-Squared and in addition to full service OpenEMR support, we are vendors for NewCrop eRx. A few other eRx applications have varying degrees of integration with OpenEMR but I don’t know them and don’t want to mis-represent them, so I’ll let their vendors speak for themselves.

  • All that being said: OpenEMR has a native prescriptions module which was originally built for small practices that maintain their own medication inventory or print paper prescriptions. If you want to use that prescriptions module it will need to be heavily customized to work for you. However, NewCrop eRx does precisely what you want: its ‘Doctor’s Favorites’ and ‘Drug Sets’ features allow you to select any or all of a list of prescriptions and order them with one or two clicks. NewCrop does print paper prescriptions and though it doesn’t permit extensive modification of the header, it is customized to the prescribing provider.

  • Multiple laboratory interfaces have been integrated with OpenEMR. Read about them in the results of this search of previous forum posts:
    Search results for 'laboratory integration order:latest' - OpenEMR Community

The standard method for handling lab results, if one does not have an integrated external lab interface, is to receive them as pdf from the lab which can be printed and/ or stored in the patient’s document tree. However, if the Procedures module is configured for a lab interface, the Procedures module has a results report that may be printed for mailing.

  • the Radiology reports are also managed by the Procedures module and have the same capabilities as lab results when received from an external provider. If you are simply copy/ pasting the results you could do that into the referral note in which the imaging was ordered. Or print it as pdf and store it in the patient’s Documents tree.

Certificates/ Reports - OpenEMR has a templating feature that works similarly to ‘mail merge’ documents, with variables specifying which data to fill into a blank document. Exactly what you describe, you only need to create the templates with the desired text.

Communication - With your own SMS gateway you can do all that, it just takes some configuration.

Customization: from your description of your needs, if you subscribe to NewCrop eRx and possibly an external lab provider, you will need very little actual customization. Of course the exact size of ‘very little’ will depend on how much you want different from what comes in the Community Edition OpenEMR but so far, it has everything you describe. The features you want do require a large amount of application and system configuration, but depending on the vendor, those should all be covered in your service contract.

One thing you haven’t mentioned is your IT situation. If you want to migrate your patient records to OpenEMR that will require some serious database work which you need to take into account when you figure the costs of migration. If your IT staff is capable of that (or you don’t want to migrate your patient records), you will not need to hire it done.

How to get the ball rolling? It’s prudent to do your due dilligence, perhaps solicit other vendors’ input with a post to the Help Wanted thread on this forum:

If you are so inclined, DM me and I’d love to discuss this more with you.
Best- Harley