Author: Chandresh Shah

I’ve been thinking about the reason why doctors and clinics switch to EMR / EHR. Of course, there is no single answer, but in all my interactions with people who have wanted to switch (Providers, Doctors, Administrators, Office Managers, Front Desk personnel, Billers), two things stand out.
1. Customer Service

2. Lack of Functionality

and – a few other reasons, such as – wanting to dump aging old computer servers and client-server EMR in favor of web-based EMR, web-based EHR, Cloud EMR, and other such technologies, etc.

By Far, customer service far outweighs other reasons for wanting to switch. So, as I read Seth Godin’s blog yesterday, it all came together.

Here are some of the cardinal customer service mistakes companies/people make:

1. Making it difficult for clients to reach someone when they have an emergency.
2. Once they reach a human being, failing to acknowledge the problem ‘Nothing wrong with the software, it is the way you’re using it you du#$a%@!’
3. You acknowledge the problem, but then you just turn around and say, ‘Right now, I’m too busy – let’s talk in 29 days’.
4. Company owners and employees treat customer service as a ‘cost center’, as a burden, as a necessary evil you need to have, unfortunately.
5. Favoritism among clients. I hate that client – I’m not going to help them.

Customer Service is not a job, it is not a department, it is an attitude!

I could write a book, but let me just make a point and you’ll get the message. Put yourself in the shoes of a client – next time you have a problem with your CRM software, your Financial Software, your cell phone service, cable service, or internet provider, what are your expectations of the service provider?

Need not say more.

It’s official. Read here.
http://www.emrandhipaa.com/emr-and-hipaa/2013/05/20/mitochon-shuts-down-free-ehr-service/?utm_source=EMR+and+HIPAA&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=5ca173c3ce-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_d6aa4454b2-5ca173c3ce-57468073

I had written about this in February and it does not surprise me at all.

See my earlier post – ‘writing on the wall prediction’ here.

I got a few phone calls from people that told me I was wrong and these guys knew what they were doing. I don’t question that, but it is all about execution isn’t it?

So then, the next question is, what about Practice Fusion? Why is Practice Fusion still alive, and how is it making money?

Practice Fusion’s free web-based EMR claims it makes money on Ads. I did some math earlier, and based on a pure Ad model, it does not add up. I have to work on the math again, but I am still not convinced.

To me, it is clear – there is something else cooking. That stew is ‘data mining’. For sure, I am not talking about selling patient data but analyzing aggregate intelligence, which is in dire need by Pharma. Today I believe Practice Fusion EMR company is building the mass and momentum. This is why they have billionaires like Peter Theil behind them. They need lots of cash to burn every day.

Why do you think ADS bought AdvancedMD? ADS? A-D-S – Advanced Data Processing. Data is their core business. ADS has nothing to do with healthcare as such. The only thing in common is Data. So, they did the right thing. They bought AdvancedMD, with a ‘Paid’ model rather than free. They are charging money while collecting data. They are spending huge amounts of money marketing, and advertising rather than offering the software free.

So, here’s where I see the long term – five years from now. There will be consolidation for sure. The buyer will be strong in the data space or have a particular interest in data. And because there are huge buyers of this data, there will be money in it.

So, two messages for small EMR software vendors – client-server EMR and web-based EMR.

1. Stick it out, hang on, stay profitable.

2. Don’t fly in the cloud. While you may get bought out, keep your valuations realistic. Forget your 10+ multiple expectations on revenue.

According to Eric McCann, Associate Editor of HealthcareITNews, one of its doctors lost an unencrypted USB drive.
The lost drive had the health information of 537 patients, according to the report. The drive had patients’ names, genders, ages, dates of birth, telephone numbers, medical record numbers, orthopedic physician’s name, dates of service, diagnostic studies, procedures complications, if any, etc. Officials, according to this report, said that the social security number or insurance information of these patients was not compromised.

As I read through the report in terms of what the URMC staff is doing, there’s education involved, but a lot of work is required on the staff’s part.

I just don’t understand why people feel a need to download data. With secure cloud, web-based EMR systems, this need is totally eliminated. Granted that hospitals may not want to trust a traditional cloud provider, but then technologies allow them to host a ‘Private Cloud’ based EMR.

Time for people to grow up.

This is a must Read Blog – Click here.
John is always very inspirational. But this time, he touched on something that just happened yesterday.

A very good client (a Wonderful Physician in Florida) of mine called me couple of days ago. They had been a good EMR user for a couple of years, but thought they can do better. Thought they needed to ‘graduate’. So, we spent half an hour online, and ‘discovered’ he can save at least 45 minutes per day just by tweaking things.

Spot on John –
– Continuous Training
– Continuous Improvement

I’ve seen too many EMR users try to cut corners, cut costs by avoiding one of the most important elements of a successful EMR software implementation.

It is my humble appeal to all EMR users – Web based EMR, or Client Server EMR; Please don’t compromise not only on ample initial training, but also ongoing training.

My friend John has written a very thought provoking blog –
http://www.emrandhipaa.com/emr-and-hipaa/2013/04/30/ehr-benefit-eliminate-staff/

This is not a new topic. It has been beaten around since the advent of EMR. Yet, its relevance is most current.

I remember few years ago when so many vendor sites had an ROI calculator where staff reduction was an important part of the calculation as a justification for EMR.

As I consult with various EMR vendors, I don’t find a single vendor using ROI as a ‘tool’. Of course, there are two reasons – one being that Providers are not trained to think ROI. The second is that experience has shown that even in successful EMR implementations, staff reduction rarely happens exclusively because of EMR. As John rightly says, there may be other reasons for staff to leave.

What Providers should focus on is improving their workflow, reducing inefficiencies and working with staff to improve patient experience.

EMR is, and I keep on repeating this in my talks, just a tool. A tool with a lousy implementation and workflow will make the practice even more inefficient. So, use your staff (and vendor) to introspect, critically examine your practice workflow and try to make it more efficient by using the right tools.

A doctor mentioned – ‘I don’t want to talk to reference names from EMR company’s website’.
A very simple statement but reveals a lot about the current thinking about the EMR buying process.

There were three steps originally involved.

1. Look at a list from your Academy, or some reference site, or ask your peers, or go to your academy meeting.

2. Call some vendors, ask for a demonstration, talk to some of their references.

Now, with the explosion of various review sites and social media, it is easy for doctors to do some homework before they start looking. You still need to do the full demonstration as other ‘due diligence’, but there is a tremendous amount of research done upfront.

Vendors have realized this and therefore encouraging their clients to post positive reviews online. In their eagerness to do so, some vendors ‘implant’ reviews. Vendors have their happy customers they want to nurture and get testimonials from.

Doctors looking to buy EMR from these vendors sometimes are a bit skeptical about talking with those clients of EMR companies since there is a perception that clients whose video testimonials are on the vendor’s website may be on their ‘favorites’ list. Justifiably so, because more and more EMR companies are taking that route – even getting their ‘friends/family’ doctors to do videos.

Not all companies do this. I have talked to so many vendors and I know most of them are genuine.

So, even though you think talking to the vendor’s favorite clients may have a bias, and right fully so, if you craft your questions properly, if you ask genuine questions and engage them in a dialog, you will get honest opinions beyond ‘It’s great, I like it’.

So, I would actually encourage you to go to Vendor’s websites, identify some of their clients that have their testimonials listed, and call them directly yourself.

The biggest benefit of technology for providers is that EMR software can have automated Alerts.
The biggest negative of technology for providers is that EMR software can have automated Alerts.

I will not forget. Software remembers and therefore lets the provider know when something is due, something needs to be done, or something needs to be taken care of.

On the other hand, it can be a nagging ‘spouse’ that reaches a point of ‘diminishing returns’. Initially, it feels good that the software alerts you of things that need to be taken care of. Pretty soon, you get into a mode of – I know I know, and impulsively click on the ‘x’ button to cancel the alert.

I remember when I wanted to start exercising. So, I put a reminder on my smartphone calendar. At the set time, it alerted. The first day, I ‘x’ed it – “Not today, I’ll start tomorrow”. This went on for 3 days. Then, I actually exercised for 2 days. The weekend arrived, and I got up late, I did not see the alert. Next week, I instinctively just canceled the alert every time. After 3 weeks, I just removed it from my calendar.

What is interesting however, is that after one month of this trial and tribulation, I started exercising without an alert reminding me what to do.

There’s a similar story here for Alerts/Pop-Up reminders in EMR software.

It is about following a proper workflow in your practice. There are so many places where you have a choice of asking the EMR software to alert you or internalizing and training properly to follow a workflow.

In a paper-based environment, you get things done, but there are no alerts popping up. I understand the argument that in a paper-based environment, you may miss things, and something can fall through the cracks. By implementing technology and proper software, you can plug these holes and cracks. But you don’t need pop-up alerts, you just need a good workflow.

Some of the most efficient practices I have seen have mastered the process, workflow, and discipline using EMR software. These practices do not allow pop-up alerts, because they slow them down, distract them from doing what they need to do and from being efficient.

Next time you see an EMR software system that has a lot of alert pop-ups, be wary. At first glance, it looks impressive, but do this every day, an Alert Fatigue will set in.

http://www.emrandhipaa.com/emr-and-hipaa/2013/02/27/an-interview-with-mitochon-about-their-recently-launched-emo-electronic-medical-office/
Good Marketing – nice Coining of a new term EMO – Electronic Medical Office… but…

http://www.emrandhipaa.com/katherine/2013/02/26/one-fifth-of-physician-practices-might-switch-emrs/comment-page-1/#comment-171759
This is a topic I have been aware of and following since last year when I saw a rise in ‘switchers’. The reasons cited are all true of course, but for the most part, that is the ‘logic’ cited when asked for reasons for switching.

John as you have rightly said, no one offers everything, and these are issues faced by everyone. Yet, only a few switch.

In the majority of the cases I surveyed informally, it is an emotional decision based on dissatisfaction with how their Vendor handled the situation.

I have actually seen practices switch from Vendor A to Vendor B and from Vendor B to Vendor A – for the EXACT SAME REASON!

Message for Vendors:

You may have a good web-based EMR system, focus on Customer Service

Message for Physicians:

Chances are Switching will not solve your problems. Make your Vendor a Partner and work with them. Switching will be expensive, painful, and perhaps not solve the problems.

I saw this news this past week and was mulling over the implications.
http://www.emrandehrnews.com/2013/02/20/kareo-buys-epocrates-ehr/

Is this a game-changer?

I think the biggest company that will be affected is Practice Fusion. Why? Many of the web-based EMR software from Practice Fusion users are on Kareo for billing. A tighter interface to EMR and ‘no ads’ will make it attractive for providers to switch, unless Practice Fusion does something about it fast.

But, Providers beware.

I have written earlier, all that Glitters is NOT Gold!

As a provider, and a ‘business owner’, I would be extremely skeptical. I must look for the following three things:

• Speed – not just of a clinical encounter, but for the entire practice. Providers tend to look at the speed of doing their part.
• Focus on Business Enterprise. What about the entire business; front desk, check-in check-out, patient wait times in the clinic, claims processing, reporting, collections, and so on…
• Is the Enterprise System a truly Integrated Platform with a single database? Does that matter? Perhaps not on the surface, but as any experienced healthcare technologist will tell you, ‘interfaced’ is not the same as ‘integrated’. Only Integrated Systems preserve data integrity.