Mental health professionals play a critical role in supporting student mental health, emotional wellbeing, and academic success across the country. 

Whether they are working at one school site or multiple sites across a district, it puts extra stress on clinicians and school social workers when they have to manage their caseloads via Google Docs, spreadsheets, or paper. That's where Exym, the leading EHR software, comes in to revolutionize the way school social workers manage documentation and administrative tasks. Wondering if it’s the right time to onboard EHR software for schools? Here are 3 reasons to consider making the change from paper to digital. 

1) Spreadsheets and Google Docs Are Not Customized for School Social Workers' Needs 

While Google Docs, spreadsheets, and paper may have sufficed in the past, they pose significant challenges in terms of security, efficiency, and data reporting.  

A manual approach to paperwork not only consumes valuable time, but also makes it difficult to report on critical metrics. Keeping up with documentation on things like note submission times, students missing sessions due to absences, activity counts, and school demographics for at-risk groups can seem impossible.

With EHR mental health software, school social workers' critical data and communications are kept in a central hub. Exym EHR software keeps all information securely in the cloud, and everything from case notes, to reporting and approvals, is customized to an agency's specific needs.  

With Exym EHR software: 

• Our personal clipboard feature allows each case note to save common phrases that are copied in the note body, allowing for higher accuracy and quicker completion time
• Our built-in compliance feature reminds users if paperwork is incomplete or if deadlines are approaching
• An easy note approval process automatically sends notes to supervisors and allows the clinician/supervisor to send edit requests and tips back and forth in a private message 
• Programs and services are organized by location. Colleagues can see where each service took place and pull reports specific to one school, all schools, or selected schools. This is important data that can help districts improve reporting and analytics for each school site, and receive more grant funding
• Reports allow supervisors to see note submission times and other topics that help manage their team more effectively
  

2) School Social Workers May Be Spending Up to 8 Hours a Week on Administrative Tasks

With many students to see, school social workers using paper files and Google docs often spend up to 8 hours a week on administrative tasks. When data is entered and handled manually, crucial work hours are lost to searching for files, finding the correct information within files, looking for updates, not to mention the increased risks to confidential data and student privacy. 

Many school districts also utilize interns or associated licensed therapists, both of which are new to the field in both practice and administration. As a newcomer, it can be incredibly daunting to use Google Docs to write notes in a particular format, remember paperwork deadlines, and keep up with documentation … all while staying on top of Masters-level homework assignments if they are still in school! These interns also need supervision, and having them email or share Google Docs, or leave files on a clinician's desk for approval, wastes time and is easy to miss.  

With EHR software for schools, like Exym, supervisors will have an easy, streamlined way to manage their staff, promote better communications, stay organized, and make data-driven decisions.

With Exym EHR mental health software: 

• Supervisors can read, review, and approve notes in a timely manner. Edit requests and tips can be sent back and forth in a private, secure message 
• Supervisors and social workers can keep track of student data and case notes easily across multiple school sites, in one place
•  Easily pull reports specific to one school, all schools, or selected schools 
• School demographic data and analytics strengthen grant applications 
• Track services for at-risk groups and special populations, such as unhoused and foster youth 
• Every new class of interns can be trained quickly to use Exym software  

3) Google Docs and Paper Files are Less Secure than Exym Software for Schools

The more schools a district has, the more challenging it is to safely circulate and find Google Docs, spreadsheets, and paper files. 

Google Docs may not be considered fully secure for school social workers or any healthcare professionals dealing with sensitive and confidential information. If a school is using Google Docs or paper files, there is an increased risk of exposure of confidential information and unauthorized access to private personal information.

With Exym EHR software for schools: 

• Students’ data is safe in our HIPAA-compliant, encrypted software 
• Student records are housed in a world-class data center in the United States 
• Data undergoes a 256-bit encryption in transit and at rest 
• Our software’s configurable permissions for staff ensure members only have access to the data they need 

Why Exym Software for Schools? 

We fully understand the unique needs of school social workers and have designed our EHR software for schools to cater specifically to the requirements of schools and school districts. Exym’s streamlined organization, unrivaled reporting, customizable case notes templates, self-paced learning modules, and live trainings are crucial for school districts to provide the utmost behavioral health care for students.  

For those looking to enhance efficiency, security, and overall performance in the school district's behavioral health services, request a demo with Exym today. 

Together, we can make a positive impact on the well-being of students and create a more supportive and nurturing learning environment for generations to come. Visit our Schools page to learn more about mental health software for school social workers.

Exym is a comprehensive EHR software solution designed specifically for behavioral health agencies. Trusted for 20+ years, our intuitive and customizable software empowers providers to improve client outcomes, manage revenue cycles, and increase agency efficiency. Exym allows you to spend more time on what matters most- the clients in your care.