Here is my take...please don't come and take my AC. When I buy a car, I have the option of purchasing an upgraded service/warranty package. If I elect not to buy this, I have to pay for any service or repairs which I may incur. But, GM does not come take my car away. I purchased the product and it is mine...as is. When I purchase a software, I have the option of paying a yearly fee and, in return, can upgrade or update as I so desire. For instance, when I bought Norton's I knew I would have to pay an annual fee in order to be able to download additonal virus definitions. If I choose not to update these, Symantic does not come take away my purchased version. I continue to use the product at my own risk with no guarantees it will continue to keep me protected.
When I bought Quicken I paid a fair price. I have not elected to update the software because it is doing everything for me now that I need it to do. No one has dared to threaten to remove my current Quicken version and leave me hanging.
When I purchased my PM software, I paid a fair price. I have been inadvertantly late in the past renewing my license and learned this when I tried to download an update or to call for tech support. In order to update or have support, I must renew my license. Not once, however, did they send out the Software Police to make my version inoperable.
When my Dell laptop crashed I call tech support and, unfortunately my warranty had expired. During my tech support phone travels to India, Pakistan, Puerto Rico and the Phillipines I must admit, I got more than a little hateful with the person on the other end of the line (whether they understood my English explitives or not I cannot say). But, the problem was resolved, my credit card was charged and my laptop was not confiscated.
When I see a patient who is abusive I discuss their ill-mannered behavior with them and ask them to please refrain from being nasty to my staff or me. If they refuse I ask them to find another doctor but I do not sneak into their house at night and take back all the drug samples I gave them.
I simply cannot understand why firstly, tech support cannot be restricted to those users who have elected to renew their license or to pay a reasonable fee for the time spent with them.
Secondly, if you continue to improve and upgrade your program then it seems only right that you should charge a fair price for these improvements. If you fail to improve your program, don't blame me if I choose not to purchase a yearly license allowing me to download these so-called upgrades.
Now, for those scallywags who give you credit card payments, download updates and then reverse the credit card charges, I am not sure what to advise. I certainly would not allow them to download anything again in the future but, I guess it comes with the territory, the same as any medical office being stiffed by a non-paying patient. You take your lumps and move on.
I do think the disclaimers for the content of the codes and medication data base are necessary. As for making people pay for these yearly in order to continue to use your product, I cannot agree. I do not need to update the codes in AC yearly because I have access to them from my PM software. And, in fact, I have regretted every code update which I have downloaded from AC because it automatically overides all the changes and additions I have laboriously made over the years to make the diagnoses and procedures much more understandable and alphabetically useful.
Personally, I love AC, and have recommended it highly to several others but if you threaten me and bully me into paying for things I don't want and don't need (I have never once called for tech support) I will drop AC like a hot pile of horse manure.
Jon, you have created a magnificent EMR and I am sure you will continue to improve it annually. Word of mouth and referrals from satisfied customers will expand your pocketbook far more quickly than threats. Just my opinion. I love you, please don't blackball me.
Leslie
