Aprima and Visiting Physicians Association Bring Home Health Care into the Twenty-First Century

DALLAS, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Aprima Medical Software today announced the rollout of its transformative electronic health record (EHR) by the Visiting Physicians Association (VPA). Using the Aprima system, with its unique "replication" technology, VPA is able to give its traveling physicians access to patient data and connection to network resources no matter where they are. With immediate remote access to all their patient information – including recent test results, overdue tests, and patient compliance with "best practice" protocols – physicians can make informed decisions when they are out of the office. They can also document the current visit in real time, saving hours of time playing catch up when they get back to an office.

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VPA is a national network of more than 30 offices and more than 170 physicians who provide home-based health care to chronically ill, disabled, frail, or elderly patients and to recently discharged patients to prevent relapse. Many of these patients are in technologically challenged areas where access to online systems isn't possible or practical. Before VPA adopted this technology, electronic health records weren't available to providers at the point of care. VPA is implementing a phased roll-out of Aprima EHR to its providers, and currently approximately 25% of its physicians are using the Aprima system. As momentum builds, VPA will accelerate the implementation, aiming to finish by September 2012.

Aprima uses a proprietary new data caching and automatic sync technology developed specifically for this type of off-line, remote location delivery of health care. This technology allows Aprima to maintain functionality and data access even when users are outside cellular or wireless network range. Patient data is securely stored and encrypted in the doctor's device, available for reference and full charting of anything new. Chart entries, messages, physician orders, and lab results are transmitted automatically as soon as the device comes in range of their secured network.

"Our doctors don't have to try to stay connected; it's seamless," says Loyda Guevara, EMR Project Manager at Visiting Physicians Association, who manages the training of physicians and implementation on Aprima. "They feel like they're in constant contact with the office." For example, in the past when a patient appointment was added in the middle of the day, VPA office staff used to drive out to meet the doctor with the paper chart. Now, the remote physicians can instantly access any data they need for emergencies and last-minute schedule changes.

Aprima CEO Michael Nissenbaum says, "VPA is a model for how to make the most of Aprima's replication technology. Having immediate access to patient data, labs, and the office while they're on the road has truly transformed the care these physicians are able to provide their patients, and Aprima is proud to be able to provide this capability. We're seeing this model of care becoming more prevalent, with new practices starting up specifically addressing this market, as well as existing practices adding this capability to their existing model. It is much less expensive – and much better for the patient – to treat patients in their homes than to wait for them to show up in an emergency room. "

In addition to the EHR, Aprima Medical Software products include a fully integrated Practice Management (PM) system as well as a Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) service to help practices maximize reimbursement and minimize payment time. The user-friendly Aprima EHR is chief–complaint-driven and offers adaptive learning capability based on each provider's habits. The comprehensive intuitive knowledge base quickly displays appropriate content based on the presenting chief complaint, speeding up documentation. Aprima's robust PM software includes all the tools a busy practice requires to manage its patient population, including insurance eligibility, optical character recognition for automating data input, and built-in reporting capabilities.

About Aprima Medical Software, Inc.

Aprima Medical Software, Inc. provides innovative electronic health record, practice management and revenue cycle management solutions for medical practices. The Aprima EHR+PM is an integrated system built on a single database. Aprima uses a fast, flexible design that adapts automatically to a physician's workflow and sets the benchmark for ease of use, speed and flexibility. Aprima is one of the few companies with a 12-year track record of success, including CCHIT Certification consistently every year as well as ONC Certification for 2011/2012. Thousands of Aprima users are benefiting from improved quality of care, improved patient satisfaction, improved quality of life and an improved bottom line. Based in Carrollton, TX, Aprima performs all development, support, and implementation from the U.S.  To learn more about how Aprima can help your practice, please visit www.aprima.com, call us at 866-960-6890, option 7, or email us at [email protected].

SOURCE Aprima Medical Software, Inc.