“Revolution is effortless,” said Dr. Kristin O’Brien, OD, when asked how RevolutionEHR has worked for her practice. “Everything you need is right in front of you.”
Dr. O’Brien is a 2013 graduate from the Michigan College of Optometry, and her practice has recently made the transition to using an electronic health record (EHR).
“We selected RevolutionEHR in March 2013, began training in April, and started seeing patients in May,” said Dr. O’Brien. “The process could have been implemented much more quickly, but we are a cold start-up and the expected opening date was delayed due to our frame boards being on back order; because of this, we had a lot of extra time to play in the sandbox.”
In addition to building a business in a start-up environment, Dr. O’Brien works with two other optometrists and knew Meaningful Use was the key to moving forward in their transition.
“Since the practice is a cold start up, it seemed only natural to begin working towards achieving Meaningful Use right away,” said Dr. O’Brien. “We were training staff and ourselves on how to use RevolutionEHR, and it was easy to begin implementing the few criteria needed qualify, especially with the individualized guidance given during the training sessions.”
Assistance from a trainer and the RevolutionEHR help line also helped in the ease of her practice transition.
“There’s no hassles with software or updates, and I have complete customization abilities of all exam templates,” said Dr. O’Brien. “The system walks your technician through the important questions to ask for every chief complaint and makes it nearly impossible not to meet the criteria for Meaningful Use.”
Dr. O’Brien extends, “because it is cloud based, I can finish patient charts from the comfort of my home if I choose to, use any computer to do an exam at a nursing home or school screening, or have my technician start working as my receptionist by confirming appointments, insurance, billing, etc.”
Before graduating from optometry school, Dr. O’Brien founded the Michigan Optometric Student Private Practice Association, and the Student Optometric Leadership Network with other students to influence curriculum driven toward practice management.
“I noticed that despite our wonderful practice management curriculum, there just wasn’t enough opportunity to learn about private practice and how to be a business owner,” she said.
Dr. Kristin O’Brien, OD
Dr. O’Brien has also participated in mission work for citizens across the country.
“I was very fortunate this year to be honored with a certificate of appreciation for my participation in a mission to an organization called, Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity in San Carlos, Mexico where over 2,000 people received free eye care and eyewear, said Dr. O’Brien. “I also participated in an optometric mission to Guyana in 2009 with the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists.”
Dr. O’Brien extends, “these experiences were very eye opening and humbling and I plan to continue giving back to those less fortunate, in my own community and abroad, regularly over the course of my career.”
Dr. O’Brien enjoys taking walks with her yellow Labrador Brandy, she has two younger brothers, and thanks her parents Jim and Cathy for their support and encouragement.
