As a former educator and having been involved now for many years in both sales and marketing of eye care software, I understand something of the learning curve. Then there's also the drive to market and sell a product. As a business owner, you want and need a solution that will go the distance, hopefully 10 to 20 years. Selling a product can easily be all about today - today's hot features, bells, whistles and so on. The two don't mesh and, unfortunately, most consumers are superficial in their selection process, even the ones who try to pull off a big comparative analysis and extensive due diligence.
May I offer my considered opinion? Selecting the right EHR for eye care over the next decade or two is inextricably linked to understanding the culture change required not only in your practice but in your profession and across healthcare. Optometry, by and large, has never had true medical software solutions. Health care reform is changing all that. You now need not only a robust medical eye care EHR but also a connected-care EHR. You don't need just software that's great in your office but software that's also great for your role in at least one local ACO and the state HIE. That's a whole different ball game.
If you're thinking about EHRs for your practice, your focus is too narrow. Think outside the box. Think community and beyond! For every hour you spend evaluating software, spend an hour researching how healthcare in your community is changing. Find out about your local ACOs. Learn about getting into a patient-centered medical home and onto a chronic care team. Then find EHRs that can step up and help you communicate (patient health information) with those new colleagues and referral providers. That's the name of the new game.
Finally, don't assume that any or every certified EHR will fit the bill. Not so. Check out this quote from yesterday's media. Bold mine. Read the full article here.
Alistair Jackson, M.Ed.
May I offer my considered opinion? Selecting the right EHR for eye care over the next decade or two is inextricably linked to understanding the culture change required not only in your practice but in your profession and across healthcare. Optometry, by and large, has never had true medical software solutions. Health care reform is changing all that. You now need not only a robust medical eye care EHR but also a connected-care EHR. You don't need just software that's great in your office but software that's also great for your role in at least one local ACO and the state HIE. That's a whole different ball game.
If you're thinking about EHRs for your practice, your focus is too narrow. Think outside the box. Think community and beyond! For every hour you spend evaluating software, spend an hour researching how healthcare in your community is changing. Find out about your local ACOs. Learn about getting into a patient-centered medical home and onto a chronic care team. Then find EHRs that can step up and help you communicate (patient health information) with those new colleagues and referral providers. That's the name of the new game.
Finally, don't assume that any or every certified EHR will fit the bill. Not so. Check out this quote from yesterday's media. Bold mine. Read the full article here.
"Of nearly 4,000 physicians responding to the survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, 51 percent said they intended to apply for the incentive payments. Only 11 percent, however, had an EHR system installed that would have met 10 out of 15 requirements for the Stage 1's core objectives."Despite certification, it's still a buyer-beware market. EHRs certification has created a new level playing field. The field is on a higher plane, yes, but there are still winners and losers. Understanding your health care reform world is, more than ever, the key to choosing well for the long haul. And if you're an ECP, we're all about the help and guidance you need to win.
Alistair Jackson, M.Ed.
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