EMR Integration
Since CHIME is not an EMR, the obvious question is whether CHIME can integrate with EMRs.
The short answer is yes, absolutely. Read more to learn about some of the details.
MANUALLY with any EMR
CHIME can manually integrate with any EMR via the following procedure:
Staff manually export a list of appointments from your EMR into a file, saved to their local machine
This file is "dragged-and-dropped" into CHIME
CHIME automatically loads these appointments, using the appropriate template
Our experience has been that every EMR we've explored supports the necessarily functionality to support this procedure, and usually it takes only a minute or two to do. From that perspective, it's an easy way for CHIME to integrate with essentially any EMR.
Who is this best for? Clinics with no same day appointments. It’s fast, simple, reliable, and most of all, cheap (as it avoids extra fees needed for RPA or API integration).
Note: Real-Time Appointment Status Syncing is not available with this option.
Via RPA (i.e. Robots) with any EMR
RPA stands for “Robotic Process Automation” which is robot technology that interacts with software the same way a human does.
Common software tools for this include UIPath, Microsoft Automates, and Robot Framework.
With this approach, your clinic can directly access your EMR to perform the manual integration steps automatically on a regular basis (e.g. hourly). Such use would need to be within the scope of your EMR license, and may or may not require additional fees payable to your EMR vendor directly.
It is possible (and recommended) for clinics to do this on one of their own internal clinic computers. There is no need for CHIME to have access to your EMR directly.
Who is this best for? Clinics not using Telus PS or OSCAR, but who have same day appointments.
Note: Real-Time Appointment Status Syncing is not available with this option.
Via Automated REST API Upload
APIs are a way for software to communicate directly, in the background.
For organizations that have the capacity to implement an automated outgoing REST API post from their own systems, CHIME can be configured to receive appointment data.
The clinic will be provided an endpoint and API token to securely upload appointment date on a regular basis, on whatever schedule desired by the clinic. The exact format of the payload can be discussed and custom configured.
Who is this best for? Clinics who have direct access to their own patient and appointment data, and can configure an automated outgoing REST API call.
Note: Real-Time Appointment Status Syncing is not available with this option.
Via API with Certain EMRs
APIs are a way for software to communicate directly, in the background.
CHIME has established partnerships with Telus and WELL Health, and therefore has API integration in place for Telus’ PS Suite and OSCAR Pro.
API integration with Accuro and CHR (Collaborative Health Record) is also possible if you have already subscribed for enterprise API access from QHR or Telus on your own and can share access with us.
In addition to automatically importing appointments from your EMR into CHIME (also possible manually and via RPA), API integration makes possible the option of Real-Time Appointment Status Syncing.
There are also some additional fees to implement API integration.
Who is this best for? Clinics using Telus PS or OSCAR who have same day appointments, or highly want Real-Time Appointment Status Syncing.
What is Real-Time Appointment Status Syncing?
Without CHIME, most clinics use the EMR scheduling screen to monitor and communicate the status of individual appointments. For example, clinics that use OSCAR oftentimes change the status of the appointment to say that patients have arrived, or are in the room, etc.
Typically, with CHIME, this information is managed within CHIME instead. Once patients are checked-in, they will show up within CHIME and staff and clinicians use CHIME to know which patients have arrived, their status, etc.
Because this is a key aspect of what CHIME manages, the information captured and communicated is much more specific and includes arrival times, wait times, multiple step appointments, room information, waiting room information, etc.
To ensure a single “source of truth” and to ensure staff successfully “change over”, CHIME is designed to NOT update the appointment status within the EMR even when it’s possible from a technical point of view. Check-in information is captured and communicated only within CHIME because this is where all staff and clinicians will consistently be accessing this data.
Staff will be initially frustrated by this because it’s a change from the status quo, but in our experience, it’s the better long-term approach. Having this data in two spots usually creates long-term confusion and makes change management harder.
However, every clinic is unique and there may be specific situations where updating the appointment status within the EMR is highly desired, for any of these three reasons:
to manually check patients in via the EMR, (instead of CHIME)
to use a third-party kiosk, (instead of the CHIME kiosk)
to view the status of patients within the EMR, (instead of CHIME)
If so, it is possible today to enable this feature for clinics using OSCAR and for clinics using Telus PS. It is likely not possible for other EMRs.