EMR vs PMS: Differences & Advantages in 2024

Both Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Practice Management Software (PMS) are among the most commonly used medical software currently on the market.

And it’s no surprise!

They save doctors a lot of time, reduce the frequency of human errors, and improve the quality of patient care.

This might leave you wondering “if both systems are so good, what’s the difference between them and which one should I choose?”

To answer this question we will go over the following:

• What’s an EMR and why do we use it?
• What’s a PMS and why do we use it?
• Differences between EMR and PMS
• What is the right option for your clinic?

So let’s dive right in!

What’s an EMR and Why Do We Use It?

An Electronic Medical Record is the digital version of a patient's medical charts, including their entire medical history.

It is also one of the most common types of healthcare software solutions currently available, with 85.9% of doctors already using it according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, of course, there is a good reason for that.

EMRs provide many game-changing tools and features, such as:

• Document management, which allows you to create and store digital copies of patients’ clinical records and charts.
• Medication tracking so you can monitor patients’ prescriptions at the click of a button. You can use this tool to determine possible medication interactions as well as identify and note allergic reactions or harmful effects.
• E-prescribing gives your practice the option to write electronic prescriptions that your patients can print or send directly to the pharmacy.
• Customizable consultation templates to streamline the charting process and create easy-to-access patient data for referencing.
• Reporting tools that allow you to automatically generate reports based on the information collected by the EMR software such as, patient history, lab results, or documents.

What’s a PMS and Why Do We Use It?

Practice Management Software is a digital solution designed to handle all the administrative processes that keep a practice running smoothly.

Whether it is automatically tracking all medical supplies to make sure your clinic never runs low or recording patient interactions to improve their customer experience, PMS makes sure your healthcare practice is functioning at its peak.

Some practice management solutions’ features that make this possible are:

• A patient portal that allows your patients to book their appointments online, access their lab results at any given time, or ask their doctors questions from the comfort of their home.
• Reports and analytics tools to help you gauge how your practice is doing by providing you with data and reports on areas that are performing well and those that might need improvement.
• Automated payroll that saves time and reduces errors when calculating employee salaries.
• Stock and inventory management, so that you can keep track of all consumable items. This tool can automatically write off materials as you use them and alert you when you need to re-stock.
• Scheduling, which allows you to quickly and easily access or amend the schedules of your staff in one place.

• Medical Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to keep track of all patient interactions from beginning to end for an improved patient experience and more targeted marketing strategies.

EMR vs PMS: How Are They Different

Both EMR and PMS tools are designed for healthcare providers’ use. However, the difference lies in the specific areas where they can be useful.

While EMR system is ideal for handling the healthcare aspect, PMS can be utilized on the business end of your medical practice. This means that all of their features and functions are different.

All EMR features are focused on helping doctors provide quality care to their patients. For example, the medication tracking tool shows all your patients’ prescriptions so that you can easily avoid possible medication interactions or allergic reactions.

On the other hand, PMS features aim to help your healthcare practice run smoothly and increase profits. For example, the reporting and analytics tools can show which times of day are busiest at your clinic and, in turn, you can ensure it is always sufficiently staffed.

EMR vs PMS: What’s the Right Option For Your Clinic?

EMR and PMS are essentially two sides of the same coin.

Doctors’ number one priority is making sure patients receive the best care possible. However, your healthcare practice is also a business, and cannot succeed without proper administration and financial planning.

Therefore, we recommend using both EMR and PMS in your healthcare practice.

If your budget only allows you to invest in one solution, however, we have come up with a list of pros and cons for each to help you decide which solution better fits your practice.

EMR Pros & Cons

Let’s begin with all the advantages of EMR.

They can help you:

• Reduce the frequency of medical errors by keeping the information updated and assisting in accurate diagnosis and treatment.
• Reduce duplicate testing by providing easy access to lab results.
• Promote patient participation by giving them access to their records.
• Save time and space by storing all records digitally and reducing menial work.
• Track results and data over time by keeping all records that can be accessed for reference at any time.
• Improve preventative care by identifying patients that are due for screenings.
• Improve security and privacy of patient records by storing them behind a more reliable digital security wall.
• Lower operational costs by reducing the space needed for record-keeping and reducing the workload of receptionists.
• Support research by documenting patient records.

On the other hand, some potential drawbacks you should consider include:

• Implementation can be expensive since EMRs require proper hardware, training, and support in addition to the software.
• Malfunctions can occur, which can lead to system downtime or data loss.
• Data breaches can occur if appropriate security measures are not in place.

Private Practice Management Pros & Cons

Next, let’s look at the pros and cons of PMS.

Through its many useful features, PMS will allow you to:

• Spend less time on administrative tasks such as patient bookings, employee salaries’ calculations, and more.
• Have a faster and easier medical billing procedure by generating invoices automatically and keeping track of claims.
• Reduce no-shows by sending automated appointment reminders to your patients.
• Improve communication with patients by helping your team create targeted marketing strategies.
• Centralize your data in a single software so you can access patient information, check the revenue cycles, or review the efficiency of specific marketing channels all in one place.
• Conduct online consultations so that your patients can see you no matter where they are.
• Manage your medical practice remotely using cloud-based software that can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

On the downside, PMS can:

• Have a learning curve, which means that it takes time to reach competency and that regular, ongoing training is required.
• Be expensive to implement as it also requires hardware, training, and support. However, it is more cost-effective in the long term.

The Best of Both Worlds - EMR & Private Practice Management Software Hybrid

If both software solutions we discussed sound good to you then try Medesk—our award-winning EMR solution with built-in PMS capabilities!

Medesk has been rated as one of the easiest-to-use tools on the market, as well as the best value for its price by software review companies such as Capterra.

By combining both EMR and PMS as software solutions, you’ll get the healthcare and business management software you need to take your medical practice to the next level!

Some of our essential features include:

• Evidence-based medical decision-making tools that assist with diagnoses and recommend the best treatment options. We harness the power of AI to make your routine workflow easier.
• A robust patient portal that gives your patients more freedom in choosing when and where to have their appointments, how they receive their test results and medical records. This choice increases customer satisfaction and the number of follow-ups. And satisfied customers always come back and bring their friends.
• Telemedicine, which allows you to conduct online consultations with your patients no matter where they are. Medesk's telehealth capabilities improve patient engagement for patients with low mobility and those living in remote and rural areas.
• Simplified reporting with 40+ templates to help you compile reports in minutes and keep track of your clinic’s performance. All our reports are easily generated, exported and edited within the user-friendly interface of the software.
• A simplified prescribing tool to make prescribing faster and more convenient for both you and your patients. Patients can automatically send prescriptions to the pharmacy without unnecessary paperwork.
• Medical CRM allows you to monitor your patients’ customer experience from beginning to end and collects feedback that helps you improve your services.

And so much more!

Related reading:

• 9 Essential Medical Software Features for Every Clinic [in 2024]

• Electronic Health Record System Types [w/ Benefits]

• How to Manage Your Private Practice: Keys to Success