1. Save Money Currently Spent on Office Overhead Eliminate Transcription Costs Eliminate costs for Paper Charts Cost of paper itself Cost for employees pulling and filing charts Cost and liabilities of looking for and transfer of lost charts Cost of storage of paper charts Cost of destruction of paper charts Save time telephoning patients with their lab / radiology reports, since they can view them online. Allow patients to fill out their past history on-line, or in a kiosk in the waiting room, minimizing my staff expense in obtaining this information. Allow patients to make and modify their appointment schedules online, thereby minimizing staff expense for scheduling. Minimize the number of telephone lines required in the office because much of the office/patient interaction will occur via the Internet.

2. Increase Reimbursement for Services I perform Allow me to code properly Allow me to code / chart the highest level that the EMR will permit. Assist me in defending myself in the event of a lawsuite. Offer comprehensive documentation which allows me to justify higher fees. Prevent me from performing medical services without billing for them. Avoid lost superbills Avoid failure to code for ancillary services performed Allow me to bill for email consultations with patients Allow me to participate in medical research studies, if I wish to do so Allow me to have medical data which will be valuable to research companies

3. Assist with electronic billing Medical records are already in an electronic and thereby easy to transmit format. Billing is already correlated with the medical records, and in a format appropriate for electronic billing.

4. Enhance My Reputation in the Veterinary Medical Community Allow me to have fewer complications and treatment errors. Allow me to provide more comprehensive documentation to my Referral Sources Allow me to provide Referral Reports in a more timely fashion Allow me to be seen as a leader in technology Allow me to provide information produced in my office concerning my patients to other veterinarians electronically, thus increasing their confidence in me.

5. Allow me to have more free time. Allow me to complete my documentation in a shorter period of time, once accustomed to using an EMR. Allow me to operate my office with fewer staff members, thus saving time on human resources issues relating to employees.

5. Allow me to have more free time. Allow me to complete my documentation in a shorter period of time, once accustomed to using an EMR. Allow me to operate my office with fewer staff members, thus saving time on human resources issues relating to employees.

6. Allow me to connect directly with laboratory, radiology and other telemedicine facilities. Allow Lab results to automatically populate my patient chart Allow me to have abnormal laboratory results flagged automatically, alerting me to issues which need to be addressed immediately.

7. Allow me to incorporate findings from ‘ancillary’ equipment, such as ‘scopes’, EKG, Ultrasound etc., and images directly into my patient charts. Minimize or eliminate duplication of documentation from other medical equipment. Allow images and someday full video to be part of the medical documentation on my patients.

8. Allow me to possibly someday connect directly with local and online Pharmacies Allow me to be certain that the prescription that I am providing to my patient is available in the pharmacy, is within my patients insurance plan’s formulary, affordable for my patient. Allow the Pharmacy to have earlier notification of the prescription so that my patient will have a shorter wait once they enter the pharmacy.

9. Assist me with compliance and privacy issues Maintain confidentiality of my patient records. Automatically maintain multiple levels of security, access, etc. to my records. Minimize the exposure due to charts left inadvertently in accessible areas.

10. Allow Me to Provide Better Patient Care Pharmaceutical Related Prevent Dosage Errors Prevent Handwriting misrecognition Prevent medication conflict with allergies Prevent medication conflict with other medications Prevent medication conflict with medical conditions Prevent medication conflict with familial or genetic (breed and species) history Clinical Guidelines Allow me to treat patients according to current clinical guidelines. Patient Education Appropriate printed instructions for the client, appropriate to species, breed, age, sex Allow clients to participate online with the chronic illness care of their pets, including keeping the clients apprised of their current medical conditions

11. Keep in Touch with My Clients via the Internet Allow my Clients to view their pet's medical history online Allow my Clients to view their pet's lab / radiology, etc. results online Allow my Clients to schedule appointments online

12. Teach My Clients about their Pet's Medical Conditions Offer language, breed, and species appropriate handouts to clients as they leave the office. Offer online tutorials to my clients concerning their pet's medical conditions

13. Continue My Medical Education by teaching me Viewing prompts or protocols someday during documentation of a patient visit will allow me to understand what the veterinary medical community feels is most appropriate in treating various conditions. Notify me of new medications, dosages, complications, etc.

14. Malpractice Exposure Lower the Exposure due to misdiagnosis Lower the Exposure due to treating outside of current clinical guidelines Lower the Exposure that exists because of lost charts Lower the Exposure due to improper documentation

15. Immediacy of Record Access In the event of a drug recall, using an EMR will allow you to immediately, and automatically contact each of your clients who have a pet currently taking a recalled medication.

16. Marketability of practice In the event that you wish to hire another veterinarian, or sell your practice having an EMR, and having all of your patient data on an EMR can make the transition for a new veterinarian easier, and therefore may make your veterinary practice more valuable.

17. Interconnectivity between Veterinarians and Hospitals Let you communicate more freely and accurately with other veterinarians through the                        interconnectivity allowed in various EMRs.