MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'emr industry'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:54:28 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181959&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FTHPZrzE1cCI%2F In a post on EMR and EHR about Social Media and EMRs, Andre Vovan, MD MBA from Mitochon Systems offered an interesting insight into the comparison between EMR and social media. Social media and EMR are a natural fit. Think about what social media really enables. The ablity to stay connected, following different strings of info/story weaved by connected people. Say for instance you and your friends went to the Grand Canyon, one person took pictures while the other did the cooking, planning, and was responsible for entertainment during the trip. When they try to retell the story to their friends, each will be able to add different aspect of the story and with social network platforms such as facebook, this is possible. Now take the story above, and insert 2 doctors and change the trip taken ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181959 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:44:38 +0100 5181959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107650&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fan-opposing-view-of-carecloud-ehr%2F Turns out David, who manages the Smart Phone Healthcare, EMR Videos, EMR Screenshots and EMR News websites, didn’t agree with some of the devil’s advocate positions I took in my Carecloud EHR post. He said that after reading Dr. Blackledge’s post, I missed a number of things. So, the following is his commentary on what I missed in my previous Carecloud post. Pretty much every company out there has some good and bad about it.  There are a few that are completely useless, and a few that think they are perfect, but for the most part every company has some worthwhile traits and some things they need to work on. Last week, John wrote about a new EHR, Carecloud that has been talked about for months, but finally was released last week.  He referenced a post that was written... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107650 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:48:52 +0100 5107650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077817&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2011%2F07%2F26%2Fnew-ehr-company-ready-to-launch-carecloud%2F Aaron Blackledge M.D., founder of Care Practice clinic in San Francisco, sent me a link to a post he did back in April about a new EMR company called Carecloud. The irony of this is that Carecloud had just reached out to me for information about advertising their EMR on my sites since they are getting ready to launch their product. Their impending launch was why Aaron decided to share his post with me. I think Dr. Blackledge’s post about Carecloud is summarized in his final paragraph: My recommendation is if you are about to give up and lay down some hard earned cash on an EMR that is just good enough I would urge you to wait a few more months and compare CareCloud’s first iteration with other emerging platforms now gaining a foothold in the marketplace. Since Carecloud is about to... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077817 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:11:03 +0100 5077817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003321&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fklas-emr-report-highlights-interesting-market-dynamics KLAS' latest report revealed many interesting things about the EMR market, specifically in the area of acute-care EMRs for large hospitals with 200-plus beds. It's a snapshot of a market in transition, thanks to the ARRA funding. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003321 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:16:15 +0100 4003321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3813064&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1016 We are excited to announce that TempDev has been named an approved service partner for CalHIPSO. As the Regional Extension Center for California (except LA and Orange counties), CalHIPSO is responsible for helping priority primary care providers reach meaningful use. As an approved service partner, we will be providing our optimization and template development services to CalHIPSO enrolled providers. To enroll in CalHIPSO, visit their website and be sure to mention you would like TempDev to help you achieve meaningful use. Related Posts August 24, 2009 — Meaningful Use Due Date: Mid 2010? March 5, 2009 — What Problem Are You Trying To Solve? March 3, 2009 — TempDev Connects: Interoperability to Create A Connected Record (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3813064 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:48:16 +0100 3813064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790784&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1013 TempDev was recently quoted about the ARRA / HITECH stimulus and the recent meaningful use guidelines in Technology Review! Click here to read the article. Random Posts November 30, 2008 — Implementing An EMR in An IPA August 17, 2008 — Writing Gyn Procedure Templates October 27, 2008 — Tip #6 on Implementing an EMR: Turn Your Skeptics Include Advocates (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790784 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:20:23 +0100 3790784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3467849&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FmFZPjwfDRQk%2F I was really intrigued by this well done article by Dr. Richard Hom about the Ethical Dilemma of the EMR. In it he describes the difference between the EMR technology world that will “sell anything at any cost” against the medical community values of things like the Hippocratic Oath. He ends the post with these stinging paragraphs: But medical angst persists. Because the EMR vendor is pursuing a “top down” sell, they bypass the medical leadership and pitch the C-level administrative staff. The medical input is usually an afterthought and the medical angst continues. Countering the medical angst and overcoming the perception of “business ethics” being ugly will not be easy. If there be a truth in medicine, it is the gaining and loss of trust. Trust is no... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3467849 Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:52:10 +0100 3467849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3039873&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-healthcare-industry-can-increase-number-successful-ehremr-initiatives (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3039873 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:11:51 +0100 3039873 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2931076&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FcGixiLqu9CQ%2F I was reading through this blog post describing the staffing challenges that face the healthcare IT and EMR industry in the coming years. I’ve read and written quite a bit about the looming crisis in filling qualified healthcare IT and EMR jobs. However, the above blog post does a nice job of looking at it from a number of different angles. Not the least of which is the challenge of retaining staff as demand for those qualified staff members increases. I’d love to hear more about what companies are doing to retain the good, qualified and experienced healthcare IT people in their organization. While we’re at it, let’s hear what EMR vendors are doing to prepare for the EMR implementation/training backlog which is likely to happen. In this regard, you might read the re... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2931076 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:47:55 +0100 2931076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886542&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1003 Today Allscripts & Intuit announced a deal that will integrate Allscripts Practice Management with Intuit Quicken Health systems. Last week at the Health 2.0 Conference Intuit Quicken Health was one of the best demos because you could see how it really changes the patient’s experience. I can’t wait to see it working in combination with an EHR/PM system! Instead of using CPT descriptions on EOBs they use descriptions patients can easily understand so they know what they’re paying for. It breaks down payments into easily understood math. If the patient doesn’t agree with something on the bill, they can fix errors right on the website. The patient is also able to pay straight from the website. Related Posts April 6, 2009 — HIMSS Day 2: Allscripts HIE Demo J... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886542 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:50:47 +0100 2886542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814522&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D935 Today, Dell announced that they will be purchasing Perot Systems in order to improve Dell’s market share in the healthcare IT sector and increase Perot’s international presence. This is another major shift in the EHR market to include some of the big IT powerhouses, which this year has included SalesForce.com’s alliance with PracticeFusion and the eCW / Sam’s Club / Dell deal. As we predicted when ARRA came out, the high profile stimulus is going to continue to reshape the healthcare IT vendor make-up. For those of us in the NextGen arena, this is a big fish eats little fish scenario. Just a year ago, the major player in NextGen hosting was Tellurian Networks. Tellurian started as a small hosting operation, but did an excellent job of capturing much of the new EHR A... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814522 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:18:30 +0100 2814522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2730169&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D884 Last Thursday, Dr. Blumenthal announced that meaningful use will be finalized by mid or late Spring 2010. Turns out that often quoted December 31st date is actually for a draft, after which there will be 60 days for comments and then additional revisions. Frustrated, I went back to the initial enabling legislation in ARRA and found the following requirement: 3004(b)(1) Not later than December 31, 2009, the Secretary shall… adopt an initial set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria… I didn’t see any other language stating that the date could be pushed back. I follow the legislation pretty closely, but its certainly possible that additional legislation has been passed that extended the due date for the criteria. If so, please comment and le... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2730169 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:25:56 +0100 2730169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2730174&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FPW_oVYAGSCY%2F I’ve been exchanging emails with someone in the EMR industry who described us as going through some interesting times of hype, hope and hyperbole. Then, they went on to say: “I have installed (successfully and not so successfully) EMR’s and clinical systems from most vendors since the mid 90’s and found almost all vaporware looking for their next sale, but not too worried about their last.” Thankfully, I know a couple EMR vendors that aren’t just “vaporware looking for the next sale.” Sadly, far too many of them are. Related posts:Promising EHR Prospects with Short List of EHR Sales I recently got the following message from a colleague who...Another Example Why Small EHR Companies Face Tough Challenges No doubt many small EHR companies have been lo... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2730174 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:36:08 +0100 2730174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2716044&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D869 Anyone who has worked on EHRs for any length of time has some great stories. To implement an EHR well, you have to get a deep understanding of the fundamental dynamics of an organization. Oftentimes, you find the good along with the bad. Here’s some of the most funny and shocking stories I’ve heard, with many of the details left out to protect the innocent: Computers being kicked and thrown by frustrated physicians. I’ve never experienced this one personally, but its a common theme. A small solo physician practice where the practice management system consultant discovered the numbers weren’t adding up accurately. Turns out a family member was embezzling. That’s probably one of the saddest stories I’ve heard. A medical group that converted from one EHR t... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2716044 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:51:47 +0100 2716044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2703872&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D879 Last Friday, TempDev sponsored the California NextGen Advisory Group (CNAG) at the beautiful Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco. CNAG is a a collaborative of large NextGen EHR clients in California, including some of the leading IPAs, MSOs, and multi-specialty groups. One of the presenters of was Bryan Rosenberger, NextGen’s Senior Vice President of Research and Development. Bryan made the exciting announcement that NextGen’s 6.0 version will be developed utilizing Microsoft’s Silverlight. This is great news for NextGen users: Silverlight offers a significant improvement in look, feel, and functionality. By deploying via web browsers, farms of terminal servers are not long required. This allows for faster, less costly, and easier to maintain deployments. By utilizi... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2703872 Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:20:55 +0100 2703872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2695447&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D873 Practice Fusion recently posted on their blog “An Open Letter to ONCHIT Chief David Blumenthal”. The letter contains some pretty strong language, including that CCHIT and HITSP “…have been overly influenced by the same small group of special interests, and have created at least the appearance of conflicts of interest.” With CCHIT and HITSP having such close relationships with HIMSS, which is focused on futhering vendors by defintion, there is certainly a history of deference to furthering the goals of HIT vendors rather than directly improving functionality for physicians or patients. In addition, the letter goes on to make the compelling point that disruptive new-comers as well as the stalwarts of IT are being left out of the discussion. The letter states tha... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2695447 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:44:19 +0100 2695447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691576&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D857 We’ve long had a corporate crush on Practice Fusion – that spunky, SaaS EHR that’s also a built in HIE. You know; the free one? Practice Fusion has been the way of the future for years now, but last Wednesday the future arrived. Practice Fusion has announced an investment by salesforce.com, an investment which the San Francisco Business Times is calling “significant”. Even more revolutionary is the announcement that Practice Fusion’s newest version is going to be launched on Force.com. I think our corporate crush just got a little stronger! Why the fascination with Practice Fusion? Well.. By deploying on Force.com, Practice Fusion moves the existing proprietary software model that every current EHR software vendor utilizes to a scalable platform utilize... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691576 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:49:37 +0100 2691576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2685255&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D848 This year has been revolutionary for organizations who invests in healthcare IT, including TempDev. To celebrate the exciting changes coming to our industry, we’re very excited to announce our new website and refreshed blog! You’ll find a new, fresh look and feel, as well as expanded content that reflects our service lines, including: Services - A full range of consulting services from planning and project management to custom development and upgrades. Packages - Our plug and play solutions that offer immediate solutions to the problems you’re facing today. We can also create new packages at minimal expense by sharing the cost amongst multiple organizations. Interop -Creating a fully integrated EHR that includes interoperability with labs, radiology, medical devices, hea... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2685255 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:14:52 +0100 2685255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2626103&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmeaningful-use-and-phr-market Yesterday’s ONC HIT Policy Committee meeting was a big one.  Over the course of many hours, the committee went from hearing revised recommendations for Meaningful Use, to recommendations from the HIE workgroup and lastly recommendations regarding certification processes for EHRs.  Over the next week or so we plan to do separate write-ups on each of these topics and their implications. But for today, one topic seems the most urgent and relevant to bring to the forefront (at least from our somewhat biased perspective) and that is… (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2626103 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:19:00 +0100 2626103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598311&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D841 Over the past year, I’ve heard the frequent comment that banks successfully deployed interoperability over 10 years ago, but the healthcare industry lags far behind. Often the comment is followed up with a statement that we can go to any bank and they can instantly access our financial information, but each physician I go to has to manually fax documentation back and forth. The banking industry is one of the most conservative in our society; healthcare can do better than banks, right? However, what these commentators fail to remember is we cannot deduce healthcare conditions into one simplem standard currency. For example, my back pain caused by poor posture and too much time in the car is different from someone else’s back pain caused by their scoliosis, which is different from anothe... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598311 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:01:24 +0100 2598311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2591555&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D835 ….we believe most of the measures proposed for 2011 would be difficult to achieve by providers who have not already begun EHR implementations. In a letter addressed to the Policy and Standards Committees of the Office of the National Coordinator, CCHIT stated that the draft meaningful use provisions for 2011 are overly ambitious. CCHIT also performed a gap analysis between their 2008 certification requirements and draft meaningful use provisions and came up with this neat color-coded version of the matrix. The largest gap is, not suprisingly, in reporting to Public Health agencies. I’m currently working on linking up EHRs to two registries and while the people on the registry side are great to work with, it is very much uncharted territory. While the CCHIT letter reads almost l... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2591555 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:00:22 +0100 2591555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584233&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D833 Ready, set, STOP.. in the mad dash to meaningful use, I feel we’re stuck at the starting line. As I mentioned in my last blog, we’ve been working on a lot of big changes at TempDev – the first of which will be announced early next week. As we were making these changes, the draft definition for meaningful use came out and we didn’t make a peep. Why? Well, frankly there wasn’t much to talk about. The meaningful use matrix laid out the following high-level goals: Reporting on patient quality measures (which mimic existing PQRI initiatives) Providing patients with access to their electronic data Exchanging data with other healthcare providers Exchanging data with public health agencies Following HIPAA regulations These are great goals, but not suprising to anyon... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584233 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:53:51 +0100 2584233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2576673&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D830 A few weeks ago, I spoke with a reported from Americal Medical News (the AMA’s member newsletter). She had read our white paper about the EHR stimulus and called to ask me a few questions about how physicians can best maximize their stimulus income. We’ve been so busy with some exciting new projects (more information coming soon!), I had forgotten about the interview until a physician we work with noticed it in the published edition! Click here to check out the article! (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2576673 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:09:04 +0100 2576673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405536&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D822 A few days ago we received this email: In the past few years our federally funded research floor had to be taken off of an electronic record system. We returned to paper charting. We had to develop a new system of charting using forms that we made up as we went along. We have no way to interface with the various labs throughout our hospital and clinic. Charts have to be copied so that the Medical Records Department in our hospital has a copy. Copies of the research results must be made for the various Principal Investigators and their subordinates. We used to be able to copy patients’ lab results so they could give this information to their physicians,we no longer have this capability. We have had to abort studies because lab results were found not be WNL. These studies would never h... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405536 Tue, 12 May 2009 22:26:37 +0100 2405536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376299&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D819 Today I attended California’s NextGen Advocacy Group Meeting in Southern California where Jan Lee, MD spoke about where the NextGen KBM/templates are going. I thought I would share what I learned. 5.5.28 will (should) have a KBM Upgrade Wizard in it that will help clients do their own KBM Upgrades. I wasn’t very happy with the fact NextGen took this right away from clients, so I am happy to see that it is returning! I can’t wait to see what this wizard looks like. KBM 7.8 Meets CCHIT requirements Should enter LGR this week VAERS reporting Well Woman Quick Visit New Gyn Home Page & Tabbed Visit 3 Gyn Quick Visits NextMD Templates Custom plan enhancements Age specific Peds Physical Exam with Quick Save Review co-sign orders Procedure scheduling Pre-procedure patient in... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376299 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:00:06 +0100 2376299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376300&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D808 One of the hottest blog topics of late 2008 / early 2009 has been the cries of smaller EHR vendors that innovation is stifled by large EHR vendors and CCHIT. I’ll agree that some aspects of CCHIT are disconcerting, particularly the focus on ratcheting up functionality requirements that are largely irrelevant to the goals of improving patient care, EHR usability, and connectivity. However, the EHR market is clearly over-saturated with a tremendous list of EHR vendors . Having a quality product put together by a genius doctor, who used to be a programmer, is no longer enough. At this point, smaller EHR vendors need to be disruptive to capture market share; doing so will put the smaller vendors in the driver’s seat and make larger vendors sit up and take notice. Three EHR vendors ... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376300 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:08:12 +0100 2376300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348736&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D798 Phil Miller is a Professor of Biostatistics at Washington University School of Medicine who has been involved in large, multi-site NIH sponsored clinical trials. He teaches courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, and research design and is also the leader of the Research and Design Group at the Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) at Washington University. We often have many conversations about the possibilities of all the wonderful discrete data just sitting, waiting to be mined in EMRs. So I asked him to write a blog for us and in the interest of disclosure, he is also my father. EMRs and Research One of the potential benefits of having an EMR is to facilitate medical research. This is particularly true when the data is entered into systems which contain mostly discre... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348736 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:33:42 +0100 2348736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2314604&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D792 Today NextGen announced that they have created a NextGen App for the iPhone. I can’t begin to describe how exciting this is and how cool it will look in demos. I have to confess that Ben got a sneak peak at it last night and was drooling over it. Some of the features it will include: Access to individual patient records Medication and allergy information, and e-prescribing Lab orders and results, including workflow capabilities Problem and procedure lists Image and document access Task management and access to the appointment schedule Thank you NextGen! This will be awesome! (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2314604 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:21:02 +0100 2314604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2314606&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D784 The fourth and final day of HIMSS09. This morning’s keynote speaker was former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan. I assume HIMSS booked Greenspan well before the current economic crisis. His bio in the conference guide reads like a thesis on the causes of the crisis: Dr. Greenspan has advised leaders across the political spectrum as he called for a smaller federal budget deficit, freer trade, and less government involvement in the economy… However, I studied Business Economics in school, so I eagerly awaited Greenspan’s speech. Greenspan explained that growing medical costs have had little effect on the economy, despite those medical costs growing at a rate of 2% of GDP, because of the continued growth of the economy. However, the current financial crisis and the upcoming slow recovery wil... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2314606 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:28:58 +0100 2314606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2314607&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D758 NextGen is full of pretty awesome announcements this week, including a new Subscription based SaaS (Software as a Service) Delivery Model. Here are some of the details: $599/month/provider for either the NextGen EPM or the EHR/EMR $799/month/provider for both the NextGen EPM & EHR/EMR They provide hosting & maintenance 3M CPT4/ICD9 coding content is provided Access to NextMD, NextGen’s PHR Set-up, implementation, & training fees will be required, I wonder what the ballpark is for this? I’m quite excited to hear about this because I think it’ll provide an easier way for small practices to begin utilizing NextGen. I think if the practice combines NextGen Practice Solutions along with NextGen EPM, EMR/EHR, and NextMD they be light years ahead of most practices.... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2314607 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:09:14 +0100 2314607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2314611&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D756 I’m interrupting the HIMSS coverage to bring some exciting news from NextGen. NextGen is now offering a Money Back Guarantee Program. I found this to be a very interesting concept, especially because it removes one of the last barriers to physician adoption. Unfortunately I couldn’t find out too much on their website about it other than the basics: Are all NextGen customers eligible for this or only new ones? Is this version specific? Meaning do you have to be on the most current core version to be eligible? How about KBM versions? How about specialties who are not in the KBM and built their own templates. Do they count? Do groups who have made their own EMR template modifications count? Could you get your data out to move it to a different EHR? It is nice to know that if you... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2314611 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 03:21:53 +0100 2314611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2288928&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D685 So you’ve chosen your EMR and now you’re heading down the implementation road and you come to a fork in the road: one way is to go with the EMR vendor provided workflow and the other is to forge your own path. I am lucky that I have been witness to physician organizations traveling down each path and some jumping between the paths because they can’t seem to make up their minds, so I will try to weigh the pros and cons of each. Traveling the EMR Vendor Workflow Path Pros It has been tested and is being used in many practices around the country. Your vendor should be able to provide you with reference practices if you have questions. It is often much more affordable. If the vendor upgrades their workflow to be more efficient or to meet new standards, you should be easily u... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2288928 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:46:45 +0100 2288928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258280&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D683 A while ago Ben wrote about the EHR’s becoming the New Bubble and today I read news that Walmart is teaming up with Sam’s Club, Dell, and eClinicalWorks to offer a packaged deal for EHRs. They will be offering a packaged deal using their extraordinary buying power to implement an EHR for under $25,000 for the first physician and about $10,000 for each additional provider. With additional training costs, maintenance, & support between $4,000-6000 a year. I never thought Walmart would be one of the companies to throw their hat in the game so quickly. I surely thought it would be a technology company. Other than amazing buying power, from somewhat questionable practices to be debated somewhere else, what does Walmart have to offer Healthcare IT? I would love to see tech compan... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258280 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:16:47 +0100 2258280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258281&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D678 Discussions to talk about how to reform health care in America”. These are intended to be local gatherings, in people’s homes or community centers, to foster a dialogue on how we can improve our health care system. I have to admit that this effort looks like window dressing. A group of citizens batting back and forth ideas before hurrying home to catch “Dancing with the Stars” isn’t going to solve our health care issues. However, the openness to foster a dialogue is refreshing. As our newest contributor to this blog, John, has been pointing out, there’s some very concrete steps that can be taken towards improving our health care system. But I have to point out… almost $20 billion will be distributed in less than 2 years, but the word HITECH doesn&#... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258281 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:27:13 +0100 2258281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2243056&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D670 Recently a friend asked my opinion on CCHIT with consideration to innovative products and whether there may actually be the touted perception of inclusion/exclusion.  My opinion….there’s NO favoring going on.  The prospect of certification should be broken into 2 areas:  1). the technology and function of it; and 2). the business aspect. I’m fortunate enough to be familiar with system certification programs and by far, EHR certification was a long time coming (in fact I recall a distinct conversation with CMS circa  Oct ‘03 where I outlined an AS2-like certification process for EHR).  At the time the notion of “government driving the market” was a given a strenuous “NO WAY, that is not our role”… How times change.   Not onl... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2243056 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:13:04 +0100 2243056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2235820&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D617 A good friend and mentor was known for sitting patiently during long, contentious meetings before finally asking “What problem are we trying to solve?” After receiving blank stares, she would respond with “I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s define the problem before we attempt to solve it.” I consistently find problem definition to be one of the most overlooked components of any project. And what’s funny is PMPs often get so busy coming up with a charter, vision statement, or some other Project Management Institute concoctions, rather than gaining a firm grasp of the problem to be solved. This approach directly results in loss in money, time, and resources as the project drifts without a clear mission. Similarly, when making decisions ... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2235820 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:36:21 +0100 2235820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2228389&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D628 Governor Kathleen Sebelius was nominated by President Obama yesterday for the HHS Secretary post. With much of the definition of the HITECH Act waiting for the new HHS Secretary’s definition, we’ve all been waiting with baited breath to see who will be put into this important role. Now we’re left asking: What does Kathleen Sebelius know about EHRs? Let me say up-front: I know absolutely nothing about Kathleen Sebelius nor Kansas politics. While considering myself to be a political junkie, most of my knowledge is focused on the politicians of the People’s Republic of California and the Socialist Hippie State of San Francisco. If someone is an expert in either Kathleen Sebelius or Kansas politics, I welcome you to comment or contact me to do a guest blog. In place of ... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2228389 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:44:46 +0100 2228389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2224525&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D612 John Lynn at EMR and HIPAA wrote a great article about choosing EHR/EMR Consultants: Does Your EHR Consultant Have Your Best Interest in Mind? I believe people who are thinking about choosing a consultant, should take a couple of moments to read it. One of the reasons I love this article is because it re-affirms a conscious choice Ben & I chose with TempDev: not to be involved in the selection process. We are both very comfortable with NextGen and while we know other EHRs we would be completely biased towards one EHR. For this reason, we decided it wouldn’t be ethical for our company to be involved in selection. One selection and contracts are signed our company can bring vendor relationships to the client to help them with thorough implementation and optimization experience. We ... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2224525 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:07:44 +0100 2224525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2207513&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D598 The HITECH stimulus has caused a lot of confusion and TempDev has wanted to provide a summary for our clients. Here’s a white paper outlining what’s known  so far. The white paper is generically written as our clients are include IPAs, MSOs, CHCs, private practices, and vendors. Also, its tailored specifically to the NextGen community, but the  principles are applicable to all EHR users regardless of your vendor. (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2207513 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:30:29 +0100 2207513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2207514&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D593 The HITECH EHR stimulus, coupled with existing incentives for e-prescribing, PQRI, and MCMP represent significant opportunities to further your EHR investment. While much of the HITECH stimulus bill is still undefined, there’s specific steps that you can take today to optimally position your organization to receive the maximum payments. Obviously, if you’re not using an EHR, start looking now as the selection and deployment process will take you several months. If you’re already using an EHR, you need to meet qualifying requirements early and have a maximum number of providers live. The qualifying requirements include “meaningful use” of a certified EHR. The certification standards are undefined, but will likely follow CCHIT. At a minimum, certified EHRs will ... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2207514 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:57:10 +0100 2207514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2192474&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D572 All I’ve been hearing lately is stimulus package, stimulus package, stimulus package. Ben and I have started to make plans for when all this money starts to hit and today I noticed that NextGen has too. They’ve even made their own webpage for it and even having a webinar! I keep feeling that everyone is just seeing money and I wonder if the industry is really prepared for the influx of cash it is about to see? Some of the developments I would like to see: More investments in research and development, what is available just isn’t good enough to support all the providers that are about to get a new EHR. Pre-existing software companies creating an EHR, come on Microsoft and Google! More high level consultants, maybe some of the people from tech will come into health care IT... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2192474 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:19:10 +0100 2192474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2175225&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D562 As Obama’s economic stimulus gets closer and closer to passing, EHR companies and consultants alike are celebrating. By providing $41K over 5 years beginning in 2011 (by year: $15K, $12K, $8K, $4K, $2K) via Medicare bonuses, physicians will see a real financial benefit to making the leap to an electronic record. Also, the stimulus plan comes with a stick: if physicians don’t make the leap by 2015, they will see a decrease in their Medicare reimbursement. But is the government replacing the burst housing bubble with an EHR bubble? As pointed out in our last post by John Weir, more than 62,000 implementers will be required to fill just the deployment needs.  To fill this need, anyone who has ever touched an EHR, no matter their qualifications or ability to effectively implement,... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2175225 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:57:26 +0100 2175225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2169022&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D563 We always appreciate insight from our friend John Weir, President of Illumysis. He is honest, direct, knowledge, and usually spot on. As a result, John recent comment on my post about Obama’s goal of getting the entire country on EMRs deserves its own post. As John points out, while Obama’s stimulus is commendable, it is unrealistic: I love the support from Government, BUT feasibility? Not quite…. There are approximately 563,000 providers in the US, layer in support staff and nursing and the numbers are huge. Given that in ambulatory care we’re still in the 18 - 24% adoption range depending on what journal one reads, 5 years is a dream, especially since the outstanding 80% has not selected a system yet (generally a 30-120 process for even solo practices). So let’s take th... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2169022 Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:01:50 +0100 2169022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167459&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FLntQrSKFshY%2F Considering the tremendous amount of political talk about EMR and EHR systems, you’d think that the number of EMR companies would continue to grow (see my EMR list of over 400 companies).  It makes sense that entrepreneurs would chase after the $$’s that they see being invested in EMR, EHR and health care IT.  However, I personally believe that the number of EMR companies will decrease in the next year rather than increase. The number one reason that EMR companies will descrease over the next year is that we’re going to see an amazing number of EMR companies failing.  The current economic climate is not the best time to be an EMR company.  Those EMR companies who require sales of EMR software to survive are going to have major troubles surviving.  Many EMR companies ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167459 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:25:31 +0100 2167459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2164640&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D557 NextGen changed their website a while ago to say that they were changing their product name from EMR to EHR to more accurately reflect what the product truly is. Today they sent out the announcement in their What’s Next Newsletter with their reasoning: As recently defined by the National Alliance for Health Information Technology (NAHIT), an EHR takes electronic medical records to the next level with interoperability. We wanted our clinical system’s product name to reflect its ability to deliver this important functionality. So basically the story goes that an EHR (electronic health record) is an interoperable record where there are multiple contributors to the record. An EMR (electronic medical record) is a record for a single organization without any other interoperability. I hon... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2164640 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:13:38 +0100 2164640 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2153722&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D554 CCHIT has been the target of many smaller EMR companies of late because of frustration around the expense of the certification process and questions about the independence of the commission. I am going to wait until a future blog by one of our guest posters before passing judgement, except to say that for better or worse CCHIT is a powerful driver in the EHR marketplace. On January 15th, CCHIT released a draft expansion roadmap and requested comments. The areas the commission is looking into expand into are: Behavioral Health Clinical Research Dermatology Oncology Advanced Interoperability Advanced Quality (in reference to Quality Measures) Advanced Clinical Decision Support Long Term Care OB/GYN This is in addition to the new HIE and PHR categories added for 2009. As we’ve said ma... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2153722 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:27:11 +0100 2153722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2150122&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D552 Dr. Robert Rowley wrote a blog over over at The Health Care Blog about Freenomics and Healthcare IT. Now I have to say that I’m very intrigued by the idea of EMR/EHR Freenomics, but then again I live in the heart of Silicon Valley. I also make my living from the implementation/integration of EMRs so it would hurt my pocketbook if everyone signed up for Practice Fusion, I might not have much of a career in that field. However, it does have Ben and I talking about what we could to implement our solutions at a reduced cost to the practice utilizing some of these ideas. I found the comments on the blog a bit amusing with people complaining about ads. Can anyone remember a time when they went into a provider’s office and there wasn’t an ad on a pen, pad of a paper, poster on t... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2150122 Sun, 01 Feb 2009 07:07:42 +0100 2150122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2126497&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D536 We’ve been on a bit of a blog writing hiatus. Laura went to DC for Obama’s inauguration and I’ve been busy bringing a few clinics live. But when I saw a posting by Paul Land on the popular NextGen Yahoo Users Group, I knew I had to write something. Turns out that FDA allows drug manufacturers to reuse NDCs, or National Drug Codes. This means if Potassium Chloride  prescribed for me last week. it could now have the same NDC  as Oxycodone HCL. Further, if my EHR record is using the NDC as the identifying key for medications, my medical record could suddenly change from Potassium Chloride to Oxycodone HCL. Even worse, now that Medicare is pushing e-prescribing, my refill request for Potassium Chloride could turn into a bottle of Oxycodone. That’d be a surprise! The g... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2126497 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:10:51 +0100 2126497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2108645&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D534 Remember that whole blog I had the other day about how the government should lead by example? Well today they pushed the implementation of ICD-10 codes by 2 years. See, I feel like no one takes any regulation in health care seriously because every time they release a regulation, it always ends up getting pushed a couple of years. If you’d like to read more about it, head on over to HHS Issues Final ICD-10 Code Sets and Updated Electronic Transaction Standards Rules. My favorite quote was: “These regulations will move the nation toward a more efficient, quality-focused health care system by helping accelerate the widespread adoption of health information technology,” HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said.  “The greatly expanded ICD-10 code sets will fully support quality reporting, p... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2108645 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:09:47 +0100 2108645 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098744&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D513 So being a consultant I’m very passionate about the topic of our series on the Good, Bad, and Ugly of the consultant community. I have to say that after cleaning up “the ugly” as a full time employee and as a consultant, it makes me even more fired up. I’m excited to contribute to John’s questions about Making the Most of an EHR Consultant. This is a huge topic, so I will break it down to the different types of consultants for the different phases of your implementation. Phase 1 - EHR/EMR Selection Consultants There are consulting groups that specialize in helping you make the selection of your EMR/EHR vendor. If your group needs help getting vendors together, viewing demos, knowing what to looking for, and helping you decide what would be the best for your g... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098744 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:54:13 +0100 2098744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2096229&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D523 So tonight as I was celebrating my husband’s birthday at Dave and Buster’s, I was using Twitter to see who was winning the Golden Globes on their Twitter Page. Twitter as Wikipedia defines it is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users’ updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length. I have my personal Twitter and my professional Twitter which I love to use to communicate with friends. Sometimes it’s easier to send a text to update everyone about what is going on that anything else. So here is my new idea: when there is a large muli-site implementation, use Twitter to communicate with the different onsite implementation teams. Here is how to set it up: H... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2096229 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 05:43:59 +0100 2096229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2095449&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D510 As continuation of our series on the Good, Bad, and Ugly of the consultant community, we’ll answer another of John’s questions: Does unbiased consultant exist? As a consultant, the answer is clearly no! Every consultant will have experience with certain EMRs, maybe even partnerships with specific EMR companies, and will consciously or sub-consciously drive you to their EMR of choice. However, there are benefits to having consultants assist with the system selection process. Consultants who have been through successful EMR implementations will know the right questions to ask, be able to quickly identify red flags (such as vaporware), and have access to fellow consultants to query for honest, off the record, opinions. So how do you use a consultant for system selection when they&... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2095449 Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:21:15 +0100 2095449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2093713&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D508 So this post probably isn’t the best one for a consultant to write but I’ve been thinking about things since Practice Fusion’s Dr. Robert Rowley (their Chief Medical Officer) has replied to our posts and there are quite a few things I like about this company and the way they do things. I haven’t used their EMR, nor have I implemented it but there are certain ideas about the company. I couldn’t roll it out to my huge clients in its current state but with some improvements, it could quickly become a force to be reckoned with. So here are the things I find innovate about Practice Fusion and where other EMR companies should really step up and take notice: It’s free! You can also purchase a no-ad version for very reasonable price. I’m not saying that e... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2093713 Sat, 10 Jan 2009 07:23:43 +0100 2093713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2093714&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D502 John over at the EMR and HIPAA blog recently asked for feedback on the good, bad, and ugly of EMR consultants. Laura and I are starting a series of post on this topic and will be exploring the consulting world from both a participant and client perspective. First and foremost, most consultants in the EMR realm (and the larger consulting industry as a whole) are not consultants. They’re contractors. Consultants must bring expertise and knowledge to your project that provide measurable results. Consultants should have “been there” countless times before, proven the results you’re looking for in similar settings, and provide strong guidance to the project. Consultants should be seen as a short term solution to get a project on the right track and build momentum for the... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2093714 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:54:31 +0100 2093714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2090832&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D498 A few weeks ago, I blogged about how Obama wants to include EMR investment as part of his economic stimulus package. Today, in another speech on stimulating the economy, the president-elect made the below statement: To improve the quality of our health care while lowering its cost, we will make the immediate investments necessary to ensure that within five years, all of America’s medical records are computerized.  This will cut waste, eliminate red tape, and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests.  But it just won’t save billions of dollars and thousands of jobs – it will save lives by reducing the deadly but preventable medical errors that pervade our health care system. The 2014 date for 100% EMR usage isn’t new; President Bush set this goal in 2004. What’s... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2090832 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:41:16 +0100 2090832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2090833&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D495 As I sit in my living room, gazing at a dot matrix printer, I question my wonderful government’s choices in healthcare. You see, we created a template package that prints the CHDP PM160 Form that uses a dot matrix imprint printer. Why do you ask? Because it’s for the state of California of course! It needs to be on a 4 piece carbon copy piece of paper. Yes, I am serious. I also reminded of sitting next to my favorite biller at my previous job, Cindy. Every morning she would dial into the Medicare Bulletin Board System using a Modem. Yes, that’s right, a modem. The only payer that she had to do this for. I agree with all of the new regulations that are coming down from the government (eprescribing, secondary claims, etc.). I am very supportive of decreasing the inefficienc... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2090833 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:32:23 +0100 2090833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2081838&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D486 If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video should be worth ten thousand. We’ve posted some recent blogs about EMR 2.0 (here and here) outlining what makes an EMR and EMR 2.0. But we haven’t spent much time explaining why EMR 2.0’s are needed and what the benefits are to healthcare provides and patients. Look for some future blogs on these topics, but in the meantime check out this great video by AllScripts which is truly worth ten thousand words. My favorite words: “Shouldn’t connecting to healthcare be as easy as going online, using an ATM, or downloading music?” We agree that yes, connecting to healthcare should be as easy and with EMR 2.o it will be. (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2081838 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:57:56 +0100 2081838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2077112&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D454 The other day, I posted a guest blog by Dr. Robert Rowley, Chief Medical Officer for Practice Fusion. In his posting, Dr. Rowley explains that Practice Fusion is approaching “EMR 2.0″ while NextGen and other client-server based applications are “dinosaurs”. While I completely agree with Dr. Rowley’s assertion that EMRs must evolve from stand-alone systems to a network of interconnected tools,  I don’t agree that a web-based architecture by itself is indicative of EMR 2.0. For the sake of this posting, I am going to define EMR 2.0 as an electronic medical record system that can share data in real-time with a variety of systems. These other systems should include, at a minimum, a patient portal, major PHR (HealthVault or Google Health), other health syste... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2077112 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:00:45 +0100 2077112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2077114&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D437 A few days ago Dr. Robert Rowley, Chief Medical Officer at Practice Fusion, posted a comment on my entry about NextGen renaming their product from EHR to EMR. I asked Dr. Rowley if he would be interested in writing a guest blog comparing Practice Fusion’s business model to that being utilized by NextGen. He provided this interesting analysis from the other side of the EMR universe: __________________________________________________________________ NextGen vs Practice Fusion: a case study in two very different approaches to EMR The EMR/EHR space has seen  divergent approaches to medical records software development – NextGen is an example of one approach, and PracticeFusion is an example of a fundamentally different approach. Rather than seeing them as “a spectrum” of approache... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2077114 Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:49:00 +0100 2077114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2066295&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D429 So I’m working on creating a Google Health PHR because I feel like I should jump on the PHR bandwagon being in this industry and as I work on creating mine I’m going to provide my feedback. I imported my prescriptions from Medco which I loved that I had the option to do. However it didn’t include any strength, start date, or SIG information. I didn’t really figure out how to make imported medications inactive or edit them. This is really annoying to me. Do I have to make duplicate medications to add this information? I should be able to edit the record. I used the SIG builder. NextGen, give Google a call. Theirs is pretty easy to use and has quite a bit of what you need. When I entered my allergy to guinea pigs it couldn’t find it but still added it but added... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2066295 Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:50:25 +0100 2066295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2034579&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D408 Oh, the places our NextGen jobs take us! I am currently getting ready to go back to jail for the sixth time in two days… this time at midnight! What’s my crime? Implementing NextGen in a custody health setting. Custody is an entirely different setting for implementing NextGen. The jail system is part outpatient, in the form of clinics, and part inpatient, in the form of pill calls and the infirmary. So why am I going to jail at midnight? Two reasons: I am a firm believer in walking in the users’ shoes whenever I encounter a new clinical setting. Also, I welcome any opportunity to add to my EMR knowledge. Wish me luck! I hope they keep letting me out of jail… (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2034579 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:00:52 +0100 2034579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2022804&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D400 In this past weekend’s radio address, President-elect Obama discussed his extensive plans for stimulating the economy including significant investment in EMRs: In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the internet. That is why the economic recovery plan I’m proposing will help modernize our health care system – and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year. Its certainly exciting to hear Obama continue promoting EMR investments so promin... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2022804 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:23:29 +0100 2022804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2000523&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D396 Laura and I have worked with EMRs in a wide range of settings, including small private practices, large private practices, IPAs, MSOs, public health systems, and correctional health systems. Each setting provides its own nuances and difficulties, but IPAs have some unique challenges. An IPA is a group of independent practices that come together to collectively contract with HMOs. The IPAs receive capitation, a set fee per member per month, which is in turn used to pay claims from the participating physicians. The most interesting aspect of an IPA from an EMR perspective is the fact that all of the practices are completely independent from each other and the IPA itself. When an IPA chooses to implement an EMR (which is a very altruistic act of the IPA; there’s no direct net revenue be... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2000523 Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:00:06 +0100 2000523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1945671&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D309 Tomorrow, I’m off to the NextGen User Group Meeting at the Gaylord Opryland hotel in Nashville, TN. This will be the third UGM I have been to and I am sure NextGen will continue their strong record of putting on an informative and exciting event. For those attending in person, be sure to stop by and talk to Laura the Midmark booth to find out more about Midmark/NextGen device interoperability. Feel free to seek me out as well; I’ll be attending the talks, catching up with old friends, and meeting new members of the EMR user community. For those who cannot attend in person, TempDev is excited to announce a first for UGM: Laura and I will be blogging live from the convention floor. Keep checking back here as we keep you updated about on the exciting events! (Source: Implementing ... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1945671 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:17:47 +0100 1945671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1928234&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D109 One of the most important roles to fill when implementing an EMR for a large practice or enterprise is the Helpdesk. Groups need to have someone to call for help with both IT & EMR needs. This person or group of people should be able to accurately record the problem and have a process for escalation. They need to be competant with the EMR and at least understand basic IT functions. Sometimes this position is very difficult to fill and keep filled because it’s not always the higest paying position and if the person is good, they’ll probably be quickly promoted to an Application Specialist/Business Analyst position. So what should groups do to help out with support? I think that this is a great thing to outsource. You can have a group of people who are both EMR & IT compe... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1928234 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:44:34 +0100 1928234 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1922185&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D286 Sometimes people say to me that they want to do what I do, so I thought I’d write about what it takes to be an independent consultant. Well luckily it’s not just me now, a couple of months ago I brought a partner (Ben) into the company which is awesome. So here are some of my tips: Be absolutely certain that you’re prepared to be a consultant. It’s a lot more demanding than being an employee and mistakes aren’t as easily forgiven. Have a solid contract, at least a year commitment, with a group before leaving your full time job. This doesn’t have to be full-time contract , but at least something that will pay your bills. Get a CPA! Keeping track of quarterly with holdings and paying the IRA & State all your money is tough. Try to find a good niche ma... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1922185 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:06:59 +0100 1922185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1909415&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D249 On Thursday MacPractice announced that they can now capture charges using their EMR. Billers can approve and post charges with a couple of clicks. This just makes MacPractice so much more appealingto users. Now if only there was a PC version of MacPractice so it could be all around versatile. Here is my favorite part of MacPractice: “MacPractice EMR for MacPractice MD and MacPractice 20/20 is available through December 31, 2008 for $3500 plus $500 annually for support and updates.” How great of a deal is that? I was just wondering if any of our readers use MacPractice? I would love to hear about how it’s working in your practice. (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1909415 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 05:01:52 +0100 1909415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1909419&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D233 I recently blogged about American EMR in Europe. This week, I ran across an article on the United Arab Emirates selection of Cerner for the Northern Emirates Ministry of Health. TempDev has partnerships with a number of consulting companies, including a Cerner partner. Turns out the Cerner partner will be involved in the UAE roll-out. One of their senior managers was explaining to me that he sent an email out to his staff here in the states inquiring who would be interested in staffing the UAE project. He was suprised at the number of favorable response. While the UAE is relatively safe as Middle East countries go, the American embassy in Abu Dhabi still releases warnings about Americans in UAE becoming potential terrorist targets. Would you be willing to travel to the UAE to assist with t... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1909419 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:14:45 +0100 1909419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1909421&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D235 We’ve been thinking about creating a tagline for TempDev and came up with “Because we’ve been there”. The reasoning behind it is that our consultants were full-time employees at practices/groups who were implementing NextGen. We understand how painful bad implementations can be, we’ve seen the tears. I think this is what makes our group unique. When we walk into a client’s office, we can empathize with the client because we’ve been the client. I enjoy this aspect of our company and I hope it stays this way for quite some time. So, what do you think? Do you like it? (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1909421 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 04:00:58 +0100 1909421 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1909422&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D226 Over the past few years, NextGen has been increasingly moving into the Hospital and Health Systems EMR market long dominated by Cerner and Epic. This move made large strides as NextGen’s strategic relationship with Siemens has brought several large hospital systems on-board. Today, NextGen released their new website, logo, and marketing efforts which prominently includes Hospital and Health Systems. However, NextGen’s products are still only applicable to ambulatory settings, which precludes much of the business, and revenue, of Hospital and Health Systems. Makes one wonder what the future holds… (Source: Implementing EMRs) Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1909422 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:22:55 +0100 1909422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1909423&cid=t_209057_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D223 So with Google Health & Microsoft HealthVault large, respectable software companies are now getting into the Personal Health Record business. Can I just saw how nice it is to have companies like these these paying attention to health care? So I have an account for both, but I hate to say that I just don’t use them. Now I’m young and have no chronic conditions, so I haven’t seen the huge need to get cracking on creating mine. Also, I haven’t seen the huge benefit yet. I honestly can’t see the advantage to me until they are hooked up with an EMR or EHR. I know there are plans for these, but until I can see the benefits, I probably won’t take the time with it. I helped implement NextMD which is NextGen’s PHR. It’s great because it’s ho... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1909423 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:46:20 +0100 1909423