Efficient Record Keeping for Groups

The Problem

Groups have many needs, some of them conflicting. Software designed to help them can quickly get cumbersome and over involved.

Clinical Record Keeper Pro™ is an efficient, easy-to-use networked program for small groups of clinicians. It has all the features needed for rapid record creation, access, and management. It avoids the complexities that are common in the networked software marketplace and it provides a great way for groups to come into the digital age.

The benefit of using a simple program like CRK Pro is that it has a modest learning curve, is relatively inexpensive, and it is a versatile way for small groups to handle their charting needs.

Database program

• Runs on Microsoft Access.
• Does not need Access to be installed on your network.
• The parent program is in use all over the world.

Rapid Navigation and Great Document Management

• Explorer-like tree on the left and a word processor on the right.
• Drag and drop nodes, files, and branches.
• Multiple databases. Switch between them with a click.
• Differential pass words.
• Live links to other files, folders, and programs from within the patient's chart means efficiency for your group.
• This software has capabilities most clinical record keeping programs simply don't have.
• The goal here is to make it possible for you to quickly do what your group needs and wants with software that can accommodate you.

Use templates or Free Text

• Templates are a great way to boost your speed and control the format of some of the data.
• Templates are easy to create, modify, and use.
• Use the ones provided, or better yet, edit them or create new ones for your specific group.
• Any member can have their own templates.
• Templates are only editable word documents. You already know enough to do it yourself. You don't need a programmer.
• You can have generic templates for general use, and specific templates for anyone.

Flexible Program

• Quickly create entire databases and populate them with files.
• Assign functions to various work stations or databases and move the functions there for efficiency.
• Organize your agency and databases according to practitioners, or client groups.
• I know this may be hard to grasp all at once but bear with me here.
• CRK Pro is very flexible in how it can be configured and used.
• This is not a cookie cutter program. You have control of what happens.
• Different practitioners can have different files, different templates, and use support staff in different ways.
• Multiple databases can be quickly created.
  • Research or administrative databases are easy to make.
  • Collaborative databases are set up rapidly.
  • Sequestered databases are also.
  • Laptop databases can be created quickly.
  • Personnel files can be in an encrypted, pass worded database with controlled access.
  • The program is completely flexible in how information is created, organized and used.
• This may sound bewildering. Most clinical office management programs are fixed in configuration. Buy it, use it. What you buy is what you get (WYBIWYG).
• Clinical Record Keeper Pro™ is a rearrange-it-yourself networked program that has the ability to configure itself for your group.
  • Yes, there are general configurations that are terrific for groups of psychotherapists, agencies, clinics, schools and private practice groups.
  • Yes there are general configurations for substance abuse clinics, and group homes.
  • But more than that this software can be adjusted to suit the needs of your group.
  • We all have wish lists now and then. CRK Pro is like a wish list for an office manager or network administrator!

Office Support

• Arrange the architecture of the office support the way your group works best.
  • Multiple work stations are possible.
  • Multiple databases are possible.
  • Link to Outlook, or scheduling software.
  • Deal with receipts, visit records, contact information, permissions, etc.
  • Use specific templates for specific functions.
  • Link to Excel files.
• Simply arrange the functions you want in the office support section using the capabilities of the program.
• All this is detailed in the complete directions file.

Keep what I said in mind and lets get into more specifics. Let's look at typical clinical functions.

Typical Clinical Record File

• This file includes the complete clinical history, subsequent progress notes, session dates, procedure codes, and managed care authorization numbers.
• Data can be organized by use of initial evaluation templates. Two are included and are easily modified to fit your group.
• The initial evaluation and subsequent progress notes can be either free text or template organized. Your choice.
• The medication section (add-on) keeps prescription information, current medications, pharmacy information, and labs in a compact format.
  • Key commands and an abbreviation function speed data entry.
• Provision is made for tracking medication changes. 
• Click on the link    Computer generated prescriptions
• Time/date stamp of files.
• Another utility provides a complete abbreviation function for fast data entry. The combination of templates, abbreviations, and dictation software, (obtained separately) is a very efficient method for data entry.
• The advantage of the clinical record in one file is that progression can be seen. Sequences of behavior, and transactions can be appreciated. The history can be viewed and appreciated. Details can be checked.

Psychotherapy Note Files are Possible

• Psychotherapy notes are kept in contiguous but separate files. They therefore meet the psychotherapy note exemption of HIPAA.
• Access to them requires one click.
• Review of last session's notes before an upcoming visit is quick and easy.
• Click on the link      Psychotherapy Notes

Address Book and Contact File

• Complete contact information.
• Supplemental files attached to each entry can hold E-mails, logs of conversations, reports, contract information, authorizations, releases, consents, psychological tests results, etc.
• User-definable fields can hold data that can be searched. Three modifiable templates are included.
• A custom note screen can be used.

Great Visibility

• An entire clinical chart is in one scrolling file, in one place, on one large screen that is easy to see and use. What a relief!
• Font, font size, and size of the screen are adjustable to fit your customary way of working.
• Standard Windows operating controls and commands are used.
• Key commands add to the efficiency of the program.

Scheduling

• Link directly to your scheduling program(s) or Outlook calendar.

Print Files

• Any file in the program can be printed or faxed.
• Envelope creation is uncomplicated.
• Click on the link    File List

Visit Record

• This file holds visit dates of service, names, and procedure codes. The file can be printed out, or sent through the network for processing.
• A Weekly Visit and Receipt Record combines these two functions for efficiency. It can update the Statement of Account, a ledger type printout you can send monthly.
• This function can also be delegated to office support staff if desired.

Managed Care Out-Patient Treatment Requests

• Keep an Outpatient Treatment Request for any specific patient with all the details already filed.
• It can be quickly updated for future authorization requests saving much time and effort.
• Managed care companies accept these reports even if you are a network provider. This streamlines the process of asking for authorizations, and greatly reduces repetitive typing.

Itemized Receipts and Transaction Record

• Created with a template, this file serves as a record of all incoming amounts.
• It serves as a deposit slip total for a checking account. It simply does away with deposit errors.
• It can also serve as a quick check on quarterly income.

Letterheads, Fax Sheets, Release of Information, Face Sheets, Intake forms, Information files for Patients

• Kept as templates they can be used digitally or by printing them over and over saving you much time in the administrative work of your practice.

Super bill, Receipt for Payment, Practice Policies, HIPAA Access Log, Statement of Account

• Save time by using the CRK Pro templates or create your own.
• The Statement of Account (ledger type) is not an accounting program but serves for those who don't track third party balances.
• Updated weekly, and printed monthly it is a welcome relief from more complicated accounting programs.

Grouped To Do List

• This is a great way to handle all the details of a clinical practice. No more scraps of paper.
• The grouping of similar items is very efficient. In time it may become the most used file in the program!

Pass Word Protected

• Four levels of passwords. Administrator, Author, Contributor, and Read Only.
• That and other working procedures and policies make CRK Pro a great way to create a HIPAA environment for your office. Do I hear HIPAA cheering in the background?

Click here for full size version of screen shot

• Tree (outliner) on the left, word processor on the right. The file you select on the left is visible on the right.
• This screen shot shows one practitioner's files.
  • It does not show the office support node, or other practitioners.
• Nodes and files can be dragged and dropped or copied within the tree.
• The tree is flexible in how it can be organized.
• The + sign hides the contents of the node. Clicking on it opens the node.
• Alphabet sub nodes hold entries corresponding to those letters.
• Links can be created from any specific CRK Pro file to elsewhere i.e. Windows folders for scanned documents, (lab work, consultations, psychological reports, reference material), or other programs.
• Link to Outlook for e-mails.
• Link to web sites for reference material.
• Templates can be imported into the tree from the central templates folder and then renamed with the patient's name.
• Navigation is fast and easy in this visually understandable program.
• The efficiency of this program can streamline your work process and put those records in their place!

      Click on the link for a diagram    Diagram of CRK Pro

Wow, this program has an amazing number of things it can do! (It gets better).

Easy Backup

The program is easily backed up to CD's, USB Flash drives or zip drives.

Other Technical Aids and Software

• Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred (obtained separately) can be used in this program for dictation at a high rate of speed once you have mastered the controls of Dragon.
• Dragon is especially helpful for longer reports. Voice recognition has improved greatly in the past few years and is now impressively accurate.
• Click on the link     Dictation

From what is said above you can see that CRK Pro can handle the needs for clinical records, and all the ancillary files and templates needed for efficient work. You can configure the system in many different ways to satisfy the members of your group, and provide the functionality you need.

A few more specifics and we will be through.

Document Imaging

• You can buy an inexpensive power fed scanner that costs about as much as a good quality filing cabinet.
• Then scan any paperwork to Windows folders. Make live links to them for lab reports, multi-page documents, consultations, contracts, or paper of any kind from within the patient's clinical chart. Access them quickly there.
• The ability to scan paper and link directly to the files brings you much closer to a paperless office and your copying, printing, filing, and pulling of charts and files will decrease greatly.

Create Live Links to Files and Programs

• CRK Pro has the ability to create live links to files within itself, folders anywhere, or any program or file on your network.
• This means, for example, that you can toggle between Excel, Outlook, Palm, or other software and use them alternately. Funnel your E-mails into Outlook folders and link directly to them there. Open Meeting Maker or other programs with a click.
• PDF files are now being used extensively in clinical settings. Make Windows folders and sub folders to hold them. Then link directly from the clinical chart to the PDF files for easy viewing.
• Links to web sites on the Internet are invaluable for research type databases.
• A web access toolbar in the program can be turned on and off for rapid access to the Internet.

More Document Management

• In addition to clinical records, CRK Pro is an information manager for agencies, groups and schools.
• Using the tree outliner, dragging and dropping of nodes, key word and key phrase searching, multiple databases, a history navigator, a word processor, and live linking to files and programs, CRK Pro sits at the head of the table and directs the creation and access of information.
  • So you can create and manage all your clinical records.
  • You can also keep and manage a huge range of other files in other databases with links between them.
• Teamed up with a scanner and software any paper document, can be scanned into Windows folders, saved, printed, E-mailed, faxed, stored, searched, and edited. You can access documents rapidly from within CRK Pro.

• For more robust document management, Paperport, (a separate utility), can be used. This goes a long way in reducing paper, copying, and filing cabinet space.
• Click on the link:   Paperport
• CRK Pro makes for rapid access of a huge volume of information. Research databases, reference material, lab work, consultations, psychological testing results, policy and procedure manuals, encrypted personnel files, and contract information can all be created, stored, edited, and easily accessed digitally.
• This is an invaluable resource for agencies, groups, and schools that need to have access to a large volume of information, and reference files let alone web sites on the Internet.

           Click on the link    Functions of CRK Pro

In summary

This computer program replaces paper charts and files and all their disadvantages. It offers great efficiency, more functions, more flexibility, great document management, and an easy-to-use solution for those operating digitally in a group environment. It is flexible enough to be re-arrangeable to suit your working practices and preferences. No complicated programming is needed to achieve the result of a superior custom software for your group. Whether it is clinical files, or information management, Clinical Record Keeper Pro™ is ready to help you in the digital world.

The Shape of Things to Come

In a few short years all records will be done electronically. In the meantime those who search for greater efficiency are already looking for better solutions. Clinical Record Keeper Pro™ delivers an efficient design that is easy to use, running in a familiar environment, with advanced features to help you.

The benefits are tremendous. You can become much more efficient with a technology that is easily used and configured for the particular needs of your group. Don't put it off.

Please contact me to discuss your needs.

A downloadable demo is available:

 Contact re CRK Pro 

Charles M. Stewart, M.D.

Blueberry Harbor Software, Inc.