Whether your orthopedic practice started small or has grown steadily over time, many teams still rely on manual processes to manage record release, even as patient volumes increase.
Manual methods can create unexpected bottlenecks as practices scale. Many organizations find that electronic record release tools reduce those pressures.
Still, how do you know if this solution will save you the most time and money on patient care? Examining how other successful orthopedic practices streamline their workflows can help you determine the best path forward.
At ChartRequest, we help dozens of orthopedic practices standardize the release of information. Our top-rated platform guarantees speedy and compliant medical record deliveries. See what our experts have to say about moving away from manual recording.
Do you have a few minutes on your calendar? Schedule a call with ChartRequest.
How to Recognize When Manual Orthopedic Record Release Is Holding You Back
For decades, paper medical records were a healthcare standard. Doctors would examine their patients and hand-track diagnoses and treatment recommendations. The digitization of the industry encouraged more practices to adopt electronic forms and reporting.
These electronic medical record (EMR) systems integrate with in-office technology. The result is faster and more legible recording for physicians.
Even in practices with EMR/EHR systems, the record release process is often still handled manually due to the limited capabilities of built-in systems. Knowing when this workflow becomes a bottleneck is critical to scaling operations.
Understanding where manual or hybrid processes create slowdowns can help you optimize your workflow and support your growing caseload. Identifying problems will help you understand why most orthopedic practitioners are moving away from physical record-keeping.
Administrative Burdens
Paper-based workflows can hinder efficient scaling, particularly as patient volumes and record complexity increase. These administrative burdens can overwhelm orthopedic teams and distract from patient-facing services.
Fulfilling a single medical record request can take an average of two hours when locating, verifying, and securely delivering records manually. For many practices, managing a high volume of requests through paper-based systems creates avoidable time drains and stress on resources.
Financial Setbacks
It may surprise you how much orthopedic record release can cost your practice. Here are a few hidden costs that can add up quickly when using manual processes:
- Office supply restock (pens, paper, and ink)
- Lost hours of productivity
- Fax machine installation and maintenance
- Inaccurate billing for records
- Compliance penalties resulting from manual processing mistakes or delayed responses
- Longer waiting room times, reducing patient turnaround
Many orthopedic practices find that manual reporting introduces hidden costs, from staffing inefficiencies to compliance risks.
Looking for ways to reduce overhead and improve operational efficiency? Explore more orthopedic management strategies.
Patient Experience and Satisfaction
Patients can become frustrated when faced with lost, incomplete, or illegible paper records, especially when they need them for insurance or legal purposes.
Electronic medical records are the patient-friendly alternative. You can store and access any type of document they need with just a few clicks. Happier patients mean a better public reputation for you and your practice.
Additionally, your patients won’t need to worry about information-blocking delays that compromise the efficiency of their treatment.
The Benefits of Electronic Record Release for Orthopedic Practices
Switching your orthopedic record release process offers more than just delivery speed. You can also manage and view requests in real time. This perk allows you to better navigate audits and high-volume requests without hiring additional staff.
Your team can also partner with third-party release of information vendors like ChartRequest for optimal results. Here are a few additional benefits you can enjoy with our electronic management tools:
- Standardized forms
- Centralized dashboard features
- Reduced phone and fax volume for record follow-ups
- Release of information and billing compliance
- Alert systems for data security
- Patient request updates and escalations
- 24/7 white-glove support
Partnering with a third-party vendor can automate these time-consuming administrative tasks and ensure compliance. This helps minimize the risk of orthopedic record release delays and frees your staff for higher-value tasks.
How New York Orthopedics Succeeds With Integrated EMRs
NY Orthopedics is an organization with over 15 bone and joint specialists serving across nine locations. Growing operations and patient demand created problems for the practice, like missing records.
ChartRequest partnered with NY Orthopedics to streamline their EMR with automated systems and expert support. Their digitized EMR allowed staff to reclaim space allocated to previous vendors and hastened their record turnaround rate.
It only took the business two weeks to see the positive effects of ChartRequest integration. Seven years later, they continue to be a proud customer of our EMR services.
Automated EMR Systems Enhance HealthQuest Physical Therapy
HealthQuest Physical Therapy is another large organization treating patients across 42+ locations.
Manual record release is impractical for orthopedic organizations that handles hundreds, if not thousands, of requests. Integrating automated EMR systems was the only practical choice to maintain quality care across their entire network.
ChartRequest was ready to onboard the organization in just a few weeks. Our release of information experts processed over 500 requests within the first six months of service. Manually processing that volume would have required considerable time and staffing — a challenge ChartRequest helped them avoid.
What To Consider for Your Orthopedic Record Release Partner
Many practices think switching to a third-party ROI service means a long onboarding process or workflow disruptions. But for organizations like NY Orthopedics and HealthQuest, the transition was fast, and the impact was immediate. Within weeks, their teams reclaimed hours of productivity without expanding headcount or investing in new infrastructure.
You may be ready to compare solutions. Before choosing a release of information partner, it’s worth reviewing key features that impact compliance, efficiency, and cost.
Budget Feasibility
Determine your budget to see which services are right for your organization. Remember that ignoring these modern solutions could cost your practice more in the long run.
It’s best to avoid record vendors that stuff their contracts with hidden fees and service exceptions. Transparency is the key to successful record release. You don’t want to over or undercharge patients for records according to state and federal laws.
On-Call Support
Not every record vendor has the resources or staffing to provide expert support, including onboarding guidance and real-time troubleshooting assistance. Choose a reputable service that can address all your questions as they arise.
For example, ChartRequest will be there to help even outside your regular office hours. With the mobile platform, authorized users can access patient records at any time — avoiding delays.
Patient Satisfaction
Your chosen record vendor should care about your patients as much as you do. Choosing a service that protects their private information is essential. It should include encryptions and access controls that align with the HIPAA Security Rule.
Your record vendor should also alert you in the event of unauthorized disclosures or suspicious activity. This benefit will improve patient trust and keep your team moving without interruptions.
ChartRequestSelect is a No-Cost Orthopedic Record Release Solution
As patient volumes grow and turnaround expectations shrink, the cost of doing nothing rises. Orthopedic practices still using manual record release processes may be outpaced by organizations that invest in automation, not because they spend more, but because they choose the right tools.
What starts as a record release solution often evolves into a system-widevimprovements in response time, staff workload, and organizational agility. This enables your staff to spend more time with patients, reduce compliance risk, and focus on growth.
If you’re ready to streamline your medical record release process, ChartRequest is here to help you move forward with confidence with no-cost release of information automation.
Start releasing orthopedic medical, imaging, and billing records at no cost with ChartRequestSelect.
