Well, it looks like I need to clarify a couple of things here.
1. At no point did I have any intention of criticizing Bert or minimizing his contributions to the AC user community. In fact, the opposite is the case. Most recently, I said “There is no question that saying you ‘do your part’ is a gross underestimation. What you do is miles beyond what anyone would expect.” Bert, your response, and the fact that others felt the need to come to your support, suggests that I came across as being critical. That was not my intention, and if I did so, I apologize.
2. My goal in initiating this thread was to call attention to the challenges I perceived to be faced by new and prospective users of AC, and to see if others shared that view. I also wanted to see what could be done to reduce those barriers, with particular attention to what we, as a user community, could do to help. One of the initial ideas I floated was to create a new forum, so that in addition to “General Discussion”, “Tips and Tricks” and “Tech Talk”, there would be an area with information that new users might specifically be looking for. My thought was that after a thread went “dead”, if it had such useful information, it would be moved to that area. When that idea didn’t get much support, another concept was “tagging” those posts or threads so they could be more easily identified. If that is not popular either, then so be it. At no point did I suggest eliminating or somehow limiting what has been done on this board.
Bert said “the board has always been very helpful just that way it is, and I don't want to discourage people from using it the way we always have. Questions, answers, comments and fun.”
You will certainly get no disagreement from me on that…everyone who has been enjoying and benefiting from the board should continue to do so! I was talking about an addition- no subtraction was intended.
3. Support for new and prospective users of AC is an important issue to me. For altruistic reasons, we all want to help this community grow and prosper. It really goes well beyond that. Although I am not really concerned about Jon’s profit margin, the success of his EMR does matter to me. Even looking at it from a selfish standpoint, the user base must grow for the program to remain successful (or even to remain in existence). I think it is in our own best interests to help bring new users to the program and to ease that transition. So here is where we do disagree.
“OK, so a lot of doctors are computer illiterate. But, that is by choice….I just don't see how difficult it is to decide to get an EMR and learn how to use it….
“I don't care that doctors are petrified of an EMR. They can stay with paper. If they are intimidated I don't care. AC is the easiest EMR to learn….. I am tired of hearing how difficult it is.”
“if AC crumbles because no one purchases it, well I will go buy another EMR, learn it, and help out on that board.”
I don’t want to be forced to make the transition to an expensive, bloated product because AC isn’t around. I would like to do what we can to expand the user base. Providing help, and yes, support, to new and prospective users is one way we can do that. And I believe that we should.
