Taking the PAIN out of Pain Management EHR

No doubt about it. Owning your own medical practice can be very financially and personally rewarding. You get to be your own boss and make your own decisions. If you are toying with the idea of starting a business, you are not alone. Before taking the plunge, beware. There are many hurdles to jump over before running a successful healthcare practice.

Just ask Dr. Abdul Benni, M.D., owner of Pain Healing Center in Brandon, Florida where he specializes in treating patients with chronic pain, such as back and neck pain.

“I wanted to start my own practice because I wanted to be my own boss. Practice management is the most important thing. I knew medicine, but I didn’t know how to sign up with insurance compa­nies. In order to run a business, I have to pay somebody to do that. Pain management is special­ized. Finding the right person who knows about pain management is very difficult,” said Dr. Benni.

Location, Location

Securing the right location for your business is another challenge that can cause physicians to lose sleep. “You have to go where you don’t have a lot of competition. You have to choose the location carefully,” advised Dr. Benni.

The financial burdens associated with paying for equipment and rent may also be a stumbling block when opening a pain management practice. “You have to be prepared for that financial burden by either saving money or taking a loan,” cautioned Dr. Benni.

Being able to chart patients efficiently is yet another roadblock. How did Dr. Benni overcome this obstacle?

Good Advice

Dr. Benni explained in his review that he implemented an EHR the very day that he opened his doors. “I think that computers are efficient. They are the future. I queried many physicians who are older than I am. They suggested that I begin with an EHR since switching to an EHR at a later date would be a headache. It is easier starting out with an EHR. Utilizing a good system allows me to have fewer office staffers. It requires more workers if you don’t have an EHR. You need a person to retrieve the chart and open it; with a cloud Pain Management EHR, charts can be accessed from anywhere.”

Breaking Ground

In his review, Dr. Benni said that having an EMR is also beneficial because he is going to open another location in the future so having a Pain Management EHR  will be advantageous. “I will be able to access my records anywhere so it will be easier for me. If a patient visits my second location, I can get the records via the computer and I don’t have to lug any paper charts with me,” assert­ed Dr. Benni.

Easy Does It

After looking at 15 EHR software companies, Dr. Benni selected Waiting Room Solutions. “It wasn’t too complex. When you have too many choices, it can be difficult for the staff to learn. My wife is not computer savvy. I asked her if she liked WRS and she thought it was a user-friendly, easy to learn system. I took that as a sign that if I hired a front desk staff person or a medical assistant, the EMR would be easy to learn. My medical assistant uses WRS and she is impressed with it.”

Trust Me

Dr. Benni hedged his bet by selecting a software company that has trustworthy certifications, including being a Surescripts Gold Solution Provider. The certification recognizes Waiting Room Solutions’ products as complete resources to improve the safety, efficiency and quality of the prescribing process.

“I was seeking a company whose Pain Management EHR software was certified. I didn’t want to learn that after I signed on the dotted line, the company was no longer operating. It’s stressful changing systems. I had enough problems starting the practice. I looked at WRS certifications and felt that they really take their certifications seriously. Some companies know that they are going to close down, so they are not concerned about their certifications. A lot of companies are going out of business, especially those that haven’t received certifications. A reputable company is important to me,” said Dr. Benni in his review of WRS.

It Pays To Advertise

Dr. Benni, who is affiliated with Brandon Hospital, Memorial Hospital, and Kindred Hospital in the Tampa, Florida area has found that it pays to market his business to attract patients. In fact, he has increased his patient load from five patients a week when he opened his doors, to over 400 patients a month. Despite his ever growing patient load, Dr. Benni claims that he has a better quality of life because he implemented Waiting Room Solutions.

Finally, like many doctors who enjoy pursuing hobbies after hours, having more free time is defi­nitely a plus for Dr. Benni. Although he is not a professional player, he admits that he enjoys play­ing soccer on weekends. “It’s more efficient to use an Pain Management EHR compared to performing paper work. I do leave the office earlier.”

Pain Management Testimonial