Not all physicians are happy with their electronic health records software. Let’s see whether the ModMed’s EMA (electronic medical assistant) otolaryngology EHR software measures up.

The ModMed EHR for otolaryngology

According to the ModMed website, the EMA EHR system for otolaryngology is a cloud-based software suite. The integrated suite combines EHR software with applications for practice management, analytics, business operations and patient interactions. The suite also automates tasks for the practicing physician.

According to David Lehman, M.D., senior medical director of otolaryngology at ModMed, the otolaryngology EHR adapts to each physician’s unique style of practice and remembers their preferences and commonly used workflows to make it more efficient and easier to use.

The application integrates medical coding and reporting with automatic ENT ICD-10 and E&M code suggestions. The ModMed system bases the code suggestions on the 2021 E&M guidelines and the provider’s documentation.

The software suite includes analytics tools for tracking and benchmarking clinical, financial and operational performance. ModMed intends the tools to identify practice inefficiencies in the areas above and explore population trends, care utilization and quality measures, according to Lehman.

The business operations application enables physicians to offload their revenue cycle processes to ModMed’s billing specialist team. Billing experts address support issues, financial transparency and revenue cycle acceleration for the medical practice.

“Because it is cloud-based and easily accessible on an iPad, ModMed allows ENTs to easily get their patients involved in the process of documentation and patient education. It also offers a patient portal, automated appointment reminders and patient surveys,” Lehman says.

ModMed performance in practice

Jeff Goodell, D.O., is a board-certified otolaryngology and otolaryngic allergy physician who practices at ENT & Allergy in Midwest City, Oklahoma. Lara Smith, doctor of audiology, works with Goodell, seeing patients with hearing loss.

“We see patients of all ages for general ear, nose and throat problems, as well as for allergy symptoms,” says Goodell. Goodell uses the ModMed’s EHR for otolaryngology in his practice.

Goodell says his first EHR was generic and required multiple manual steps. He invested time and energy in building templates for the suite that were specific to his practice, but the flow was off, and generating notes from templates was cumbersome, he says.

He found the ModMed EHR suite while looking for an iPad (or Mac) compatible EHR built for ENT practices. It had to support efficient charting and effective tracking and reporting on their MIPS measures while connecting seamlessly with their practice management system. “For those reasons, I chose the all-in-one ENT software suite [from ModMed] that includes the EMA EHR and Practice Management system,” says Goodell.

“The system allows us to schedule patients, direct workflow with each patient, record and maintain our medical charting, and manage typical billing and collection activities,” says Goodell.

Goodell has seen a better work/life balance, too. “I no longer spend hours each night at home charting on work that was done during the day,” he says.

Goodell’s favorite features from the software suite include mobility with utility and current and consistent medical coding suggestions. “I like the iPhone application, which helps with patient care while on the road. Also, the suggested medical coding EMA provides is consistent with the new E&M coding requirements and has been very helpful,” Goodell says.

Goodell’s wish list of features for future iterations of ModMed’s ENT EHR includes the ability to link a message to a patient attachment directly without the manual steps. “This would be easier than having to open a message from a patient, go into that same patient’s chart and look for the attachment,” he says.

Pricing

According to Lehman, pricing for ModMed’s ENT EHR suite varies based on several factors.

To learn more and get the software suite, see ModMed Otolaryngology.