Various software systems are now available for behavioral health clinics to use, all to the benefit of their patients. Two of the most prominent software technologies available are CIS and EHR systems, which are often confused. To shed light on these systems and what makes them unique, we’ve outlined the benefits and uses of CIS vs. EHR systems and how they can be used together to provide seamless information.

What Is a CIS System?
CIS is short for Clinical Information System, which is a computer-based system designed to collect, store and manipulate clinical information about patients. These systems are often used either in single locations within a clinic or across an entire behavioral health organization. They pick data directly from a variety of sources, including equipment and information repositories on the network, collecting and integrating all data for the future use of physicians.

What Is an EHR System?
EHR is short for Electronic Health Record and serves as a storage system for healthcare data for patients. EHR connects to various software systems, collecting the data for immediate use by the physician during patient meetings or checkups. These systems are connected to CIS, HIS, RIS, PACS and LIS systems, collecting data from these sources and integrating it all into a seamless report.

What Are the Differences Between CIS and EHR Systems?
While these systems may seem very similar, they serve entirely different purposes. CIS is highly specific, storing and managing information collected directly from equipment and caretaker inputs. The EHR is more generalized and serves as a way to provide seamless, unified information about the patient to the physician to inform their care. In other words, these two technologies differ in the following ways:

• Specificity: CIS systems are highly specific systems, storing detailed information on each patient from a variety of sources.
• Scale: EHRs contain a vastly wider amount of information compared to CIS systems, often encompassing various fields and health topics.
• Purpose: While the advantage of EHRs is their general nature and use in surface-level diagnoses and health conversations, detailed information from CIS systems is needed to help physicians make decisions about the patient’s condition and treatment options, as well as keep up to date on their treatment progress.

How Do They Work Together?EHR and CIS systems can work together to provide a more comprehensive view of a patient’s health. EHR systems can pull information from CIS systems to deliver detailed information to decision-making physicians so that they are better able to treat their patients appropriately. These CIS and EHR benefits are taken one step further with cloud-based EHR systems, which can deliver this information to physicians regardless of their location. They can then respond more immediately. The result, in short, is a more responsive healthcare experience for patients.

Orion’s AccuCare system offers these benefits and more with a system that is customized to fit the needs of mental and behavioral health clinics. On top of the benefits of a web-based EHR system, we can deliver even more functionality with one that will work for you instead of against you.

Learn More
Are you interested in learning more about the capabilities of the Orion Healthcare Technology EHR system? Call 800-324-7966 or contact us online to get a FREE demonstration of the software.

On-premise systems used to be the norm and preference for doctors, but as technology has changed, so have opinions. As more vendors and doctors have recognized the benefits of cloud-based EHR technology, these systems have become increasingly popular in the behavioral health community. To help understand this trend and the reason behind it, we’ve summarized what makes cloud-based EHR systems uniquely beneficial to the industry.

What Are the Differences Between Cloud-Based and On-Premise EHR Systems?
EHR systems fall into one of two categories: cloud-based or on-premise. Cloud-based, or online EHR systems, back up the data of the practice on an external server, offering all the functions of an EHR system through an internet browser. This type of system means that to access the EHR system, all a physician needs is a computer with an internet connection.

On-premise or client-server systems, on the other hand, store data in-house, requiring that the location have a server, hardware and software installed on-location. This option means that data is only able to be accessed on-location.
What Are the Benefits of Cloud-Based EHR Systems?Despite the sense of control offered by an on-premise system, in-house servers have quickly fallen out of favor in exchange for the more functional cloud-based system. Practices are increasingly switching to these cloud systems because of the numerous benefits they offer, including:

• Saved space: On top of the physical space saved by implementing an EHR system over a paper system, cloud-based EHR systems do not require the installation of specific hardware, especially servers. As a result, it’s possible to use less space to support and store technology.

• Reduced expenses: Web-based EHR systems can also save money for your business since they require no hardware, no software installations and no maintenance on your end. You never need to spend money on upgrades, as they often come with your software system.

• Increased pace: Servers in behavioral health practices need to be accurate and fast to better allow doctors to meet the immediate needs of their patients. While a server-based EHR opens up the possibility of data getting corrupted, web-based EHR systems employ numerous fail-safes to keep your data secure and intact.

• Simplification: Cloud-based EHR helps streamline your workflows with user-friendly systems that are automatically upgraded for you, so you’re constantly working with the most up-to-date version of the software without needing to implement it yourself.

• Low initial cost: EHR systems have historically been extremely expensive to implement, between the installation costs, licensing fees and maintenance expenses, leading many practices to delay upgrades and risk working with outdated systems. Cloud-based EHR systems, on the other hand, require none of those initial costs — just a monthly fee to gain access to the system, just like any other utility.

• Improved communication: With the ability to access data from anywhere, doctors can communicate more easily with their teams and their patients, providing immediate care when needed.

• Scalability: While on-premise systems must be upgraded or expanded to handle an increased business size, web-based EHR systems already come with extensive capabilities. This flexibility allows clinics to increase their size and adjust their workflows without spending precious resources on upgrades and installations.

• Security: One of the biggest fears surrounding cloud-based software is security. In the age of HIPAA, what would happen if patient data got leaked or lost? Fortunately, cloud-based EHR systems are already equipped to handle this and are even more secure than on-premise locations. While client-server EHR systems are only as secure as your building, HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based EHR systems have robust data centers that encrypt your data when it’s transmitted or stored, ensuring that it cannot be used or accessed by an unauthorized party.
  

Orion’s AccuCare system offers these benefits and more with a system that is further customized to fit the needs of mental and behavioral health clinics. With an intimate understanding of the field and extensive experience in EHR system development, we can promise a system that will work for you instead of against you.

Learn More
If you’re interested in knowing more about what a cloud-based EHR system can do for your practice, contact Orion Healthcare Technology. Learn more about Orion’s comprehensive, user-friendly EHR and billing solutions by calling 800-324-7966. We’ll provide you with a FREE demonstration of our AccuCare web-based system!