“Free data conversion from your current EHR and Practice Management system!”
As a Provider or Practice manager, what do you think when you read this sentence?
Let me know – 1 or 2?
“Not good enough to pay for,” a physician client told me in a recent conversation regarding Practice Fusion. The old cliché, “You get what you pay for,” is true after all!
I have been talking with a lot of practices and physicians who use Practice Fusion as their electronic medical records system. After the recent announcement Practice Fusion is being acquired by Allscripts, clients received notifications Practice Fusion will no longer be free.
From the practice and physicians’ perspective, the main and perhaps only attraction of Practice Fusion was that it was a free system. For most practices, it served its purpose, allowing them to be compliant with meaningful use and even receive incentive money.
The question is, if this system worked for doctors in the past, why are they looking to switch? After all, they are used to the system, and change is never easy. I’m not saying everybody will switch, but I suspect a majority of practices have started looking for cheaper or more stable alternatives.
The Acquiring Company Is Allscripts;
What Does That Mean for the Future of Practice Fusion?
Look at the history of Allscripts with respect to acquisitions. Their journey started with a merger with Misys in 2008. Since then, they have had a number of acquisitions including Myway, Eclipsys, Medinotes, DB motion, Jardogs, etc.
In most cases, these products have eventually withered away. Allscripts tried to move their customers onto their main platform of choice. Practices suffered.
Allscripts’ most recent acquisition before Practice Fusion was McKesson. With all these islands of technology and Allscripts trying to achieve economies of scale, it is nearly impossible to maintain and keep them all alive and thriving at the same time.
At one point, Practice Fusion was the darling of the industry. So many investors got in, that it was worth $1.5 billion. In the end, Allscripts got the company for a measly $100 million. That should tell any provider remotely considering sticking with Practice Fusion that it is time to abandon the sinking system.
I can see the writing on the wall—or my blog just a few short years from today—Allscripts is sunsetting Practice Fusion and doctors won’t be riding into the sunset with it.
There is no doubt about the benefits of EMR to everyone. Public Health, Government, Patients and Providers – private practice as well as hospital based.
Yet, why do Providers continue complaining about EMR?
There is no doubt about the benefits of EMR to everyone. Public Health, Government, Patients and Providers – private practice as well as hospital based.
Yet, why do Providers continue complaining about EMR?
There is one very simple reason.
Inefficiencies at Point of Care. This is a collection of following:
In other words, the weakest link is the first one – data entry, data collection. What if this single point of contention had a solution? What if we removed the weakest link and made it stronger? I am not suggesting getting rid of or eliminating EMR at all, because we all know the benefits of EMR downstream.
What if there was a way to continue working with paper the same way as providers did in the exam room with patients AND figure out a way to get all the data into EMR without an exorbitant expense? (I am not suggesting scribes in case you are wondering)
For those of you who are looking for an EMR software, the number one question you should ask the vendor is, ‘Why is your EMR software different’?
For those of you who have already chosen an EMR software, do you consider your implementation successful?
By various counts, anywhere from 50-70% of clinics are considering switching their EHR software. Some Electronic health record implementations are on schedule with all stakeholders of the practice fully involved in achieving their set goals. Others struggle at the onset and eventually stall; leading to partial or no success.
What is the reason for Failure?
Is it the people involved or the implementation process, or is something wrong with the product? My extensive experience working with providers and clinics for the last 18 years has taught me – it is not that simple.
People, Processes, and Tools
Processes are the binding agent. You need to have the right people, starting with leadership in the practice and having the best Tool (EMR software) for your clinic. Best EMR Software is one that works with your workflow, and technological comfort.
Where it fails most of the time, however, is Processes. I am not going to write in detail about how to do implementation here, but I am going to point out a very important aspect of the Implementation process.
Vendor Involvement.
Too many times, vendors allow practices to dictate the process, whereas practices look for guidance and best practices from the vendor. Vendors should be leading this. I was speaking with a company recently that had decided to take this head-on by putting money where its mouth is. They decided to refund part of the implementation fee if the practice works with the vendor to do proper implementation within an agreed-upon time frame. This simple assertion means that people and tools have to be excellent and someone is willing to take the bull by the horns to project-manage the entire process. I like this proactive approach and will be eager to learn the outcomes.
When you want to select an EHR System or EMR system for your practice, don’t get tied up into small details of functionality, features, etc.
There is really only ONE thing you need to evaluate all systems against.
WILL THIS SYSTEM ALLOW ME TO GO HOME – HALF AN HOUR, 45 MINUTES, ONE HOUR EARLY EVERY DAY?
Of course, it goes without saying that going home early does not mean taking work home.
There are 3 reasons why providers have to stay back.
1. Finish Charts – paper or Electronic
2. Financial worries – pending accounts receivables, accounts aging. … and third
3. Staffing worries and stress.
Of course, we can’t do much about staffing issues, although, some vendors will be able to help you with that – which you should keep in mind.
So, benchmark all your EMR software systems with respect to this simple criteria – can I go home early?
Many providers and clinics are not happy with their EMR Software systems. Some have tried multiple EMR software, yet are not happy. Are all EMR systems bad?
This article from Seth Godin really intrigued me. “The Problem with hit radio“. Whether we like it or not, it is really herd mentality isn’t it?
I can literally paraphrase and replace radio, top 40 songs, etc. with EHR and would make sense. Let me do that – you decide. I’m sure Seth wouldn’t mind – he’d actually agree with me.
Popular is not the same as important, or often, not the same as good.
This article from Seth Godin really intrigued me. “The Problem with Hit Radio“. Whether we like it or not, it is really herd mentality, isn’t it?
I can literally paraphrase and replace radio, top 40 songs, etc. with EHR, and would make sense. Let me do that – you decide. I’m sure Seth wouldn’t mind – he’d actually agree with me.
When you read only the top 10 EHR list, you are letting the crowd decide what EHR Software you should sign up for.
And if you see demonstrations of top 10 EHR software only, the most reviewed, the most ‘popular’, you’ve abdicated responsibility for your incoming. Most people only talk to vendors of bestselling EHR software. That’s what makes them bestsellers, after all.
The web and so-called review sites keep pushing the top 10 on us. It defaults to ‘sort by popular’. (Just see this popular website www.softwareadvice.com/medical). There are many others – KLAS, Blackbook, etc.
“Mass markets and math being what they are, it’s likely that many of the ideas and products you consume in your life are in fact, consumed because they’re the most popular. It takes a conscious effort to seek out the thing that’s a little less obvious, the choice that’s a little more risky.”
Popular is not the same as important, or often, not the same as good.
Granted signing up for EHR Software is not the same as listening to music, but I have seen and experienced so many EHR software that are not in the top 10 that I can confidently tell you there are great ‘gems’ out there. I do realize it takes time to review systems, but it will be well worth it. Talk to people, and do some research, I can also help if you like.
Here’s an interesting statistic related to independent practices: 23% feel that everything is okay with their collections.
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