The Athena EHR is the perfect replacement for GE Centricity, which we were using for fifteen years. It streamlines the exam documentation process and provides excellent tools for improving accuracy and consistency. It makes it easy for physicians to see patients and make notes. I recently made the switch to Athena after 15 years of using GE Centricity. Read on for my review of this program. The pros outweigh the cons.
Patient Portal
A patient portal can make patient engagement easier and increase patient satisfaction. It provides access to a range of patient-facing services, such as scheduling appointments, completing online forms, and receiving reminders. Moreover, it helps patients stay updated on their health, as well as receive access to personal data, medication, and test results. More engaged patients are more likely to stick with their therapy, and are satisfied with their health providers. Therefore, clinics should incorporate patient portals to increase their engagement with their health care providers.
The Patient portal has several limitations. The data is only from a single academic medical center’s ED. It does not capture the broader effect of patient engagement in EDs because many patients attend other institutions for primary care. The data also did not distinguish between patient and proxy access, and did not capture differences in age and gender. Overall, the portal can help hospitals improve patient experience by improving patient communication. However, it should be noted that patient engagement with patient portals varies depending on the health care institution.
Interoperability
Athenahealth is a cloud-based electronic health record service designed specifically for healthcare practices. Athena’s Redox cloud interoperability API connects with NextGen EHR. Redox goes beyond industry standards to provide greater control and two-way communication, and to help healthcare providers reduce the cost of connectivity as needs scale. Redox is the most convenient way to connect athenahealth Practice Management with a variety of health systems.
The Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has made interoperability a top priority. The goal is to connect disparate EHRs to create an open system where clinical information can be shared more easily. Its goal is to provide better health care through the use of data from various sources and streamline workflows. Ultimately, interoperability should bring useful information closer to the point of care. And Athena’s success is proof of its interoperability.
Cost
The cost of an Athena EHR will depend on your specific practice’s needs, as well as how many physicians are using the system. While the software itself is affordable, it also costs money to install, train, and maintain. There are many upfront costs associated with implementing an EHR, including the cost of a migration fee and staff training sessions. Other costs will include hardware maintenance agreements, ongoing staff education, and telecom charges.
The main features of Athena include secure text messaging, revenue cycle management services, and care coordination. However, some users have found the system to be unfriendly and complain about frequent system crashes. Athena also has many shortcomings, such as difficulty categorizing accounts by physician or specialty. It also requires several clicks to enter patient information. Athena is an excellent choice for most practices, but you should be prepared for the price tag.
User Protection
A good user protection strategy is essential for Athena’s EHR software. Oftentimes, the software can contradict patient messages or add reminders to appointments. Athena is committed to preventing such situations by using stack updates and backup domains. To further protect data, Athena also uses “ownBackup” to archive the metadata of every user in the system. With OwnBackup, athenahealth’s administration and development teams can take snapshots of their metadata on demand. By doing so, they can compare changes between environments.
Athena EHR security is of great importance, as many people have been hacked into e-mail accounts with patient information. This could result in a prolonged downtime for an EHR and negatively affect patient care. One recent ransomware attack affected Allscripts EHR and affected their revenue cycle management, clinical decision support, direct messaging, and Payerpath applications. A strong user protection strategy is imperative to ensure that these features remain accessible and secure for patients.
Whistleblower Protection
A recent report found that Athena had multiple kickback schemes. The company’s legal team is investigating this claim. In addition to the whistleblower protections that are built into its EHR software, Athena has been accused of engaging in other illegal practices, including retaliation. The investigation reveals that the company’s marketing strategy included shady tactics, including paying kickbacks to doctors. The lawsuit alleged that Athena violated federal anti-kickback laws.
Final verdict
The federal government is actively investigating possible illegal practices in the EHR industry, as well as alleged fraudulent conduct by vendors. A whistleblower can use their inside knowledge to raise red flags about illegal activity and bring the weight of government settlement and investigation powers to bear. Attorney Michael Kenagy, a whistleblower with more than a decade of experience in EHR law, has written a report entitled, “Raising the Bar on Electronic Health Records.”
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