Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have become the new benchmark when it comes to delivering quality health care. Physicians, hospital networks and large healthcare centers are all using EHR software in order to help them speed up their workflows and improve efficiency.

However, the EHR software market is yet to realize its full potential as doctors continue to look for better EHR systems that can help them expedite their practice workflows. Some of them are yet to adopt an EHR system while many are looking to switch, owing to problems they face with their current systems.

Finding the perfect EHR software is never easy. Doctors and physicians must look for systems that match their workflow, their interaction with patients, their practice requirements and then make a decision based on which EHR  provides all the elements they consider essential.

EHR software vendors across the country are offering so many different options for the physicians that they can easily end up making the wrong decision. Some are even offering the software for free, while many are charging exorbitantly high prices for their solutions. You must remember that you need to not focus on the price factor while implementing the system, as you will likely end up buying something that really does not suit you or does not meet your requirements. Setting up an EHR system is expensive and time consuming, so you must understand your workflow requirements well before making the selection.

A recent survey indicates that by the end of 2013, nearly 80% of U.S. physicians will be using some sort of EHR software for their practices. However, another survey indicates that almost 20% of the EHR software users are not happy with their system and 30% of them will never recommend the system to anyone else.

This indicates that doctors are still unable to make the right choice about their EHR software and quite a high percentage of them end up using the wrong software. The wrong EHR slows down their workflow, causing a lot of stress and frustration. Also, it does not help them in making efficient decisions and is not customized to their workflow.

If you are going to purchase an EHR for the first time or are looking to make a switch, you need to remember that it needs to suit your requirements. Another important element you need to look for is the ability of that software to help you achieve Meaningful Use Stage 2 and qualify for incentive payments. It should also be ICD-10 ready so that you can meet new challenges easily. In addition, you should also select the EHR software that allows for patient portals since patients are becoming increasingly more proactive in engaging with their physicians and being in control of their data.

You must also make sure that the EHR software you are selecting is perfectly interoperable, allowing you to send and receive e-faxes, write electronic prescriptions. Also, it should be fully compliant with HIPAA standards and have all the relevant certifications from the regulatory bodies.

These are some of the factors you need to keep in mind before making your decision about buying or replacing an EHR software. Look for the one that suits your practice ‘perfectly’ instead of the ‘perfect’ one.