Bert,
I won't tell you not to get upset b/c you usually fly off the handle, get passive-aggressive for a day, and then you're fine. You have put in more volunteer hours than (I would presume) some of A.C.'s paid staff. NO JOKE. You helped more people than can be counted, including myself. I find it EXTREMELY irritating that sometimes you help someone in a post, and a person NEVER replys w/ a thank you! Don't take me the wrong way, most people on the ACUB love you and appreciate you and MOST show well earned respect to you. But some don't thank you, and some don't always demonstrate respect for you. You are an iconic figure in the HISTORY of A.C. If there are credits that play when the A.C. story is told, "Alert 'Bert' Adams, MD" would be near the top of the cast of players.
I will say in support of the ease of AC, it's ridiculously simple. The best way to learn is to do what I make my medical students do every month, just start using it.
Steven, you are right about integrating AC as much or as little as you want. Transition into it. Isn't that what we tell our patients every day? "hey doc, I want to start an exercise program." [OK, these ease into it.] OR "hey doc, I want to quit smoking." [OK, then wean off the cigs.] OR "hey doc, I want to start zoloft." [OK, start low dose and titrate up slow.]
We don't HAVE to learn all the features and use them all at once. If you were using paper before, then keep using paper for certain things, then learn more and integrate more, then use less paper.
Here's a tip: setup AC, and practice on it for a couple of days or weeks simulating office calls, ordering tests, setting up a fake patient and entering fake office visits. Let your staff play on it, you play on it. Try to break it. See if you can fix it. Press random buttons and see what happens. RIGHT CLICK on EVERYTHING and see all the hidden features to discover. Then set up your network, get everything in place........ready.......set.......GO!!
I am not screaming, just emphasizing the following::::
THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO TO HELP US BERT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COUNTLESS HOURS SPENT HELPING THOSE IN NEED. YOU ARE TRULY A TOP NOTCH INDIVIDUAL AND MAN OF GOD. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME, (EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE 1.2MILES AWAY I HAVE NEVER REQUIRED YOU TO COME INTO MY OFFICE TO HELP INSTALL AC B/C IT'S SO EASY) YOU HAVE TALKED ME THROUGH MANY SCENARIOS IN WHICH I NEEDED HELP. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO REPLY TO PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS EVEN THOUGH SOME NEVER EVEN SAY "THANK YOU BERT." THANK YOU FOR BEING A GREAT FRIEND (I HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OVER ALL AC USERS IN THE WORLD B/C YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND......AND I AM YOUR ONLY FRIEND......HAHA). THANK YOU FOR PUTTING UP W/ OCCASIONAL INSURECTIONS ON THE ACUB. THANK YOU FOR MAINTAINING ACUB FOR WHAT IT IS, EVEN THOUGH I RARELY POST ANYMORE.
I hope AC never makes a users manual, I've never read one by any manufacturer that was good. It's a waste of their time to make one, time better spent getting AC accredited by Medicare so we can participate in the big bonuses next year. ACUB isn't a user's manual, it's a user's forum. Let the user's vote on what they want. My vote is: keep it the way it is.
