Step 1: Preparation

EHR Email Discussion List (Members Only) -- An invaluable resource for AAFP members at every stage of the EHR process. This is where your peers discuss the nuts and bolts of using EHRs and getting the most for their investments. This is a very active list with an archive feature that lets you search the past 12 months’ postings for items of interest.

Find a Doctor Like Me in a Practice Like Mine (Members Only) -- This tool connects you to physicians in comparable practices to yours, in your area of the country. It uses data from the Physician Product Reviewer to help you locate physicians who are using EHRs. You may also search by product to find other practices using the software. Many reviewers have agreed to be available to answer questions about their EHRs.

EHR 101 -- Introduction to Electronic Health Records -- This online tutorial takes you through an overview of EHRs, basic terminology, and potential benefits of owning an EHR.

EHR 120 -- Understanding Features and Functions -- This online tutorial walks you through the basic features and functions of an EHR which can help you better care for your patients while increasing your bottom line.

EHR 130 -- Free and Open Source Software -- This tutorial gives you basic information about software that is free or that you can program yourself. There are options for the PC and Mac. This tutorial also talks about Vista which is offered through the Federal Government.

Implementation 101 -- Things to Think About Before You Start -- While you may not be ready to implement an EHR, this tutorial introduces some basic issues that may have a big impact on the software you choose.