While many physicians believe return on investment (ROI) in health care technology is a figment of an overactive imagination, a growing body of evidence supports the conclusion that clinical applications increase efficiency, improve quality, and boost patient safety.

In his recent blog, “A Message to America’s Physicians: Purchasing EHR Technology A Shaky State of Affairs,” David Kibbe, MD, says that cost of purchase is not the primary barrier to EMR implementation – uncertainty is. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

To illustrate his point, Kibbe quoted Lawrence Summers, director of the White House’s National Economic Council. “If you as a business were considering buying a new boiler, and if you knew the price of energy was going to be high, you would buy one kind of boiler. If you knew the price of energy was going to be low, you’d buy another kind of boiler. If you didn’t know what the price of energy was going to be, but you thought you would know a year from now, you wouldn’t buy any boiler at all.”

According to Kibbe, what this means is that physicians who know their reimbursement rates will be high will buy one kind of EMR, while physicians who know their reimbursement rates will be low will buy another kind of EMR. On the other hand, physicians who don’t know what their reimbursement rates are going to be, but think they will know a year from now, won’t buy any EMR at all.

While there is certainly some logic to this, EMR implementation isn’t just about reimbursements. Certainly, reimbursements are important, especially for physicians in small practices. That’s because the amount they are paid per encounter by health plans, Medicare, and Medicaid are what determines how much money, net of expenses, they will have available for significant investments such as EMR technology.

But EMR technology can save you money in the long run. As with any technology there is an up-front cost, but the return on investment (ROI) increases with each year after implementation. While many believe ROI in health care technology is a figment of an overactive imagination, a growing body of evidence supports the conclusion that clinical applications increase efficiency, improve quality, and boost patient safety. That’s particularly true if you choose an EMR that can stand the test of time—so choose wisely, but choose soon.

More than 70 percent of office-based physicians are eligible for federal incentives but do not have a basic EMR, according to a recent study. However, that will likely change from 2013 through 2015, the final years of the HITECH bonus period, and as younger physicians begin practicing medicine.

Roughly 83 percent of office-based physicians could qualify for federal incentives for electronic medical records (EMR) implementation if they meet meaningful use criteria, according to a study published in Health Affairs.

The study—which used data from the 2007 and 2008 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to measure the use of EMRs by office-based physicians—found that some physicians would qualify for Medicare incentives, some for Medicaid incentives, and some for both. Eligibility was based on the number of Medicare and Medicaid patients seen.

Interesting data points from the study include:

• 70.5 percent of physicians are eligible for incentives, but do not have a basic EMR.

• 12.1 percent of physicians are eligible for incentives and already have a basic EMR.

• 14.6 percent of physicians are not eligible for incentives and do not have a basic EMR.

• 2.8 percent of physicians are not eligible for incentives and already have a basic EMR.

• Location matters: Midwest physicians were more likely to qualify, Western physicians less likely.

• Specialty matters: Psychiatrists are significantly less likely to use EMRs than other specialists.

• Practice type matters: Physicians in a solo practice and physicians in practices owned by a health maintenance organization (HMO) are less likely than those in larger practices to qualify for incentives and use EMRs.

While physicians may be slow to embrace EMRs, they won’t resist for long, according to Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of Health Affairs. Dentzer predicts more physicians will adopt EMRs from 2013 through 2015, in the final years of the HITECH bonus period. Moreover, as younger physicians begin practicing, the operating standard will likely change to using EMRs.

In our opinion, implementing sooner is better than implementing later. Contact us for more information about getting an EMR.

Why buy an EMR if you’re not going to use it? At gloStream, our proprietary, five-stage gloStream Detailed Needs Analysis (gloDNA) helps us gain a complete understanding of the way each practice functions—and act accordingly for better results.

According to industry statistics, 30 to 40 percent of electronic medical record (EMR) software is not used—but with the right EMR provider, that isn’t the case.

Choosing EMR software is just one part of the process of successfully transforming a practice from paper-based medical records to an EMR. It’s also crucial to have a complete understanding of the way each practice functions—and act accordingly for better results.

At gloStream, we call the process of gaining this understanding gloStream Detailed Needs Analysis (gloDNA). It consists of five stages:

Stage 1:  Practice Consult. We learn about your practice’s experiences, goals, and concerns when it comes to EMR implementation by asking a series of questions about your practice, its people, and its requirements.

Stage 2:  Practice Scan. We build on what we learn during Stage 1 by gathering quantitative data about your practice and its workflows. The result is an inventory of your specific technical and operational requirements and systems.

Stage 3:  Proposal. We provide you with a customized plan of action. It will include a clear picture of the technical, personnel, and financial requirements for successful EMR implementation.

Stage 4:  Protocol. We leverage feedback received during Stages 1 and 2 to successfully transition your practice from paper-based medical records to an EMR.

Stage 5:  Wellness. We ensure your practice’s health by providing ongoing support to address issues that may arise as you implement your EMR. We monitor the performance of your system and integrate your feedback.

gloDNA has enabled gloStream to achieve a 100 percent success rate with EMR implementation. In other words, every doctor who has purchased our software continues using it today.

To learn more about gloStream’s exclusive gloDNA process, call us at (877) 456-3671 or send an email to info@glostream.com.

More and more office-based physicians plan to implement EMRs and qualify for federal incentive payments, according to recent survey data released by the ONC. Moreover, 41 percent of doctors surveyed are planning to achieve meaningful use and take advantage of the incentive payments.

There has been a reversal in the low interest in electronic medical record (EMR) adoption seen in previous years.

This information comes from surveys commissioned by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and carried out in the course of regular annual surveillance by the American Hospital Association and the National Center for Health Statistics.

The survey data shows that significantly increasing numbers of primary care physicians have already adopted a basic EMR, rising from 19.8 percent in 2008 to 29.6 percent in 2010.

Although basic EMRs are a good starting point, physicians would need to further upgrade their systems to qualify for meaningful use incentive payments. But there’s good news there, too: According to the surveys, 41 percent of office-based physicians are planning to achieve meaningful use of certified EMR technology and take advantage of the incentive payments. The majority of those physicians responded that they would enroll during Stage 1 of the programs.

David Blumenthal, the national coordinator for health information technology, says leadership from the medical community and the federal government is responsible for the increase in EMR adoption rates.

EMRs provide measurable benefits for providers of all sizes, including small practices, according to a recent survey. Plus, the return on investment is high: According to researcher, it costs just $7,857 and takes just 130 hours to implement an EMR at a five-member practice.

In contrast to prior suggestions that electronic medical records (EMRs) may not benefit small health care providers, a new survey says there are measurable benefits for providers of all sizes.

To conduct the survey, current and past Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) staff members looked 154 peer-reviewed articles written from 2007 to 2010.

In their paper “The Benefits of Health Information Technology: A Review of the Recent Literature Shows Predominantly Positive Results,” they report that 92 percent reached the conclusion that the use of health IT has an overall positive effect.

The survey also found evidence of emerging measurable benefits for small health care practices in addition to the large ones.

That may be because the return on investment is high. Case in point: Dr. Neil Fleming, vice president for health care research at Baylor Health Center System, says EHR implementation cost $7,857 per physician and takes 130 hours at a five-member practice.

The reason for the discrepancy with prior studies, says David Blumenthal, the national coordinator for health care IT, is that prior studies focused on the early years of EHR development when functionality was not as mature.

“Two salient aspects of this more recent synthesis are that it brings the literature up to date and extends it beyond the few large systems that were the source of most information on the record for health information technology, and looks at it in a much more representative set of provider settings,” Blumenthal said.

Related articles: New survey shows EHRs benefit even small providers

EMRs should help, not hurt, your practice and your patients. Many respondents to a new survey are worried that EMR implementation will lead to lower-quality care for their patients. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

The 2011 National Physicians Survey, conducted in 2010 and updated in December 2010 and January 2011, surveyed 2,958 physicians across the country.

The result: Many are concerned that privacy, security, and doctor-patient relationships could be negatively impacted by EMRs. Specifically, when asked about the impact of reform on patients, 58 percent of physicians said it would be negative.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. gloEMR from gloStream is one of the most powerful and easy-to-use EMRs on the market today—and it helps, not hurts, your practice and your patients.

With gloEMR, security isn’t a concern. Because gloEMR is built on the Microsoft Office platform, it provides you with control over your patient data, which will always be stored in Microsoft-based formats that are thoroughly tested and supported by thousands of technology partners worldwide.

gloEMR also helps, not hinders, doctor-patient relationships. It features an intuitive dashboard, single-click access to all patient information, and integrated voice recognition technology—all of which work together to let you spend more time listening and diagnosing, and less time documenting.

With gloStream’s dedication to data portability, commitment to the Microsoft Office platform, and user-friendly interface, you can rest assured that your investment in gloEMR is one that will help your patients. Contact us for more information.

Related articles: 2011 National Physicians Survey

A new study shows that health care providers will use technology to improve care and cut costs in 2011.

Health care providers will use technology to improve care and cut costs in 2011, according to The Camden Group, a business advisory firm that released a new report, “Top 10 Trends in Healthcare in 2011.”

Information technology underpins providers’ ability to shift to new care models, says The Camden Group, so IT will move to center stage in 2011. Examples will include the implementation of electronic medical records (EMRs), computerized physician order entry, and health information exchanges.

The Camden Group’s top 10 trends are as follows;

• Insurance membership will take a hit from the slow economic recovery.
• Increasing health plan payments will not make up for declining Medicaid and Medicare payments.
• Patients will postpone care, hurting providers.
• Providers will be driven to seek cost savings.
• It will be difficult to access capital for borrowing.
• Physicians will try new care models such as patient-centered medical homes and clinical integration.
• Construction projects will be limited to those that generate returns.
• IT will help providers shift to new care models.
• Mergers and acquisitions will be brisk.
• Providers will utilize volume to generate incremental revenue and decrease per-unit cost.

While “2011 is the year when a growing number of providers move forward with new care delivery models and run into the very real challenges posed by overhauling traditional ways of treating patients,” according to The Camden Group President Steven T. Valentine, “the fundamental question is whether providers can manage costs and improve quality while maintaining provider choice and open access. As always, the devil is in the details.”

Need help navigating these trends in 2011? Contact us today. We can help with IT models that will support the changing health care industry.

Related articles: Top 10 trends for 2011 include IT, new care models

Republican bill that imperils funding for meaningful use incentives has a long way to go before it becomes law—if it ever does.

President Obama may have celebrated an emerging health care IT system in his State of the Union address, but at the same time, Republican lawmakers were producing a bill that imperils funding for meaningful use incentives. Should you be concerned?

The Spending Reduction Act of 2011 (H.R. 408), which Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio introduced on January 24, seeks to reduce federal spending by $2.5 trillion over the coming decade. To do so, it plans to eliminate many federal programs—specifically, subtitles B and C of title II and titles III through VII of division B of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Since the federal EMR incentive program set up under the ARRA/HITECH Act of 2009 falls under division B of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, it seems that the new bill would cut disbursements to health care providers for EMR adoption.

Providers who want to purchase an EMR are wondering if they really want to start down that path, which is understandable, but there’s no reason to panic. The bill’s passage is not assured. Republicans control the House, but the Democrats control the Senate—and it seems almost assured that any bill like this one would surely be vetoed by President Obama, who’s been a strong supporter of EMR implementation.

Meanwhile, EMR implementation is increasing: Fourteen thousand providers had registered for meaningful use incentives as of early February, up from the 13,000 announced in January, according to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

Our take: Don’t let the political noise prevent you from implementing an EMR. “We’re trying to tell people that this process is going on,” says Dave Roberts, vice president of government relations for HIMSS. “This is only one body [of Congress]. Don’t let this be a concern.”

National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey shows that EMR adoption crept up from 48.3 percent in 2009. More than half of physicians were using at least partial electronic medical records (EMRs) in their offices by the end of 2010, according to a survey by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

The study, called the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, showed that EHR adoption crept up from 48.3 percent in 2009 to 50.7 percent in 2010.

In 2009, 21.8 percent of physicians who had EMRs said they used a basic systems, which support features such medication lists and the ability to view imaging, which 6.9 percent used fully functional system, which can also support medical history, drug interaction warnings, electronic prescribing and computerized orders for lab tests.

In 2010, 24.9 percent of physicians used basic systems, while 10.1 percent used fully functional systems.

EMR adoption, according to the survey, was greater in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon, Utah and Hawaii.

The change came as the Department of Health and Human Services dangled billions of dollars in incentive payments in front of health care providers.

The lesson learned: Physicians are getting onboard with EHRs. If you haven’t implemented yours today, contact us for more information.

Doctors can track patient location from admission to discharge, access and share daily schedules and calendars, order labs, refill prescriptions, and more.

An April 2010 New York Times article, Doctors and Patients, Lost in Paperwork, says that an average physician spends as much time doing paperwork as he or she does with the patient.

“Paperwork, or documentation, takes up as much as a third of a physician’s workday; and for many practicing doctors, these administrative tasks have become increasingly intolerable, a source of deteriorating professional morale,” the article states.

The solution: a paperless practice, which isn’t a new phenomenon in healthcare. And there may be no better time to go paperless, given the current government push toward electronic medical records (EMRs). EMRs can help you document patient records electronically, and also makes communications much more efficient by allowing you to share patient records and send prescriptions with a single click.

The key is to select an EMR that helps, not hampers, productivity. A solution that forces you to spend the same amount of time as you would with a paper-based record is hardly an effective solution.

Consider gloEMR, one of the very first EMRs to be Stimulus certified through the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT).Through the dashboard that is the heart of gloEMR, doctors can track patient location from admission to discharge, access and share daily schedules and calendars, order labs, refill prescriptions, and more.

gloEMR is also unique in that it leverages several key Microsoft products, including Microsoft Office Word for text editing. Microsoft technology makes it easy to create practice-specific templates for routine encounters without expensive programming or training—which means your EMR improves productivity.

Contact us for more information.