It's not uncommon for us to come across a provider agency that is head strong on finding the right EMR (Electronic Medical Records) or EHR (Electronic Health Records) for their operations. With meaningful use incentives (see requirements here) and a plethora of options on the market, it's easy to see why going with the EMR/EHR route is attractive. But, keep in mind this phrase: EMRs have patients, human services software has patience. What does that mean? EMRs are created for medical providers, who document enounters with patients that are treated for an episode of care. Human services software is designed for provider agencies that support individuals for years if not decades of their life. This is a big difference in how a software system manages the services and workflows. Plus, with an EMR you are paying for a lot of functionality that you'll never use. Managing x-rays, prescribing drugs, these are things that you don't deal with. Instead of EMRs or EHRs, the 3 letter acronymn that you should be looking at is AMP (Agency Management Platform). AMPs are designed for home and community based waiver service provider agencies. They get your schedules, your services, your plans, goals, billing, and employee management. It's vastly different from your doctor or occupational therapist!
