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Shopping for an EMR: Who can I exclude?

So you’ve decided to join the EMR revolution.  Welcome!  But where to begin?  The field is booming- new companies are springing up every day.  With so many to choose from, how do you know who to trust?  What should you be looking for in an EMR solution provider?  Here are a few guidelines:

1.  Make sure they have a good general reputation.  Ask for references and follow up.  Search the internet for feedback from their customers.  Have they delivered on their promises?  Check with watchdog and consumer protection groups.   Have they been accused of unscrupulous practices? 

2.  Read the contract.  Look for hidden fees.  What will they charge for product support?  Do they offer a maintenance plan?  Is there a warranty?

3. Find out how they handle version upgrades.  Are upgrades free?  If not, do they intend to support older versions of their product?  For how long? 

4.  Are they prepared to customize?  Will you have to change your business model to fit the needs of their product?  Do they expect you to pay for features you don’t want?*

*Very few EMR providers offer totally customizable products.  Click <a href=”http://www.xlemr.com/faq.html” target=”_blank”>here</a> to read more about customization.

Most EMR providers are legitimate and reliable, but there are exceptions.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  If what you learn makes you feel uneasy, or if the provider won’t give you straight answers, move on and don’t look back.   More on shopping in future articles!

 

Follow the Money

Managed care and big business continue to step up to the plate in driving IT adoption to improve healthcare quality and lower costs.   This is natural since doctors certainly can’t be relied upon to do so, and payors and employers feel the economic pinch most.  Payors are granting technology to providers to improve revenue management. Pay-for-performance will force adoption by doctors interested in avoiding salary cuts. 

Examples: Aetna is making PHRs powered by ActiveHealth Management available to their 15 million members. In Massachusetts, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation awarded $50 million to almost 100 small and medium sized medical practices for EMRs. Stark Law reform will help accelerate these efforts.

Business interests continue to come together to encourage reform. This month two more coalitions have formed.  The Business Roundtable has joined the AARP and the Service Employees International Union to campaign Congress for better legislation for healthcare and retirement issues.  A second expansive group unites the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, insurance companies, and advocacy groups including Families USA.

High on the agenda is healthcare for the uninsured. One in six Americans doesn’t have health insurance.  Not all of these are poor - according to the Census Bureau, 70% live in a family with one worker, and a fifth are in families with household incomes above $40,000. The problem is many small and medium sized employers are doing away with healthcare benefits due to cost, or passing along the prohibitive cost to employees.

States have lost patience with Federal inaction and Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, California and most recently Pennsylvania have moved forward with their own universal healthcare plans.  Most big insurers, facing dwindling medical plan enrollment, favor such state plans.

It will be interesting to see if more coalitions have deeper impact. Leapfrog Group has had limited success. A more receptive Democrat administration will likely help.

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By Shawn Whalen, SVP & Director, Healthcare IT Practice, Schwartz Communications

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