Indy, are you upgrading your existing practices to ver 8, or waiting a while for things to sort out? Isn't October & ICD-10 getting closer?
John,
Unlike some folks who will remain nameless, we never dictate versions to our clients, we provide them high touch conceriege services, which means they run what they want, including a multitude of third-party apps and systems, and we make it work for them (which includes dealing with the circus clown car of clowns sometimes).
The discussion about upgrading is complex, and by AC using the words MANDATORY, it has become MUCH more charged for some Physicians/clients.
We will be doing a survey of practices that we deal with to determine what their current perspectives are, and then summarizing that for participants. AC has asked to recieve a summary of the anonymized results. You are welcome to PM me if you would like to be included, but you are not sure I have your email for the survey.Here is a summary of factors as we see it:
<>What version are you on?
<>Will you be doing MU going forward?
<>Will you be coding in AC going forward?
<>Are you considering Hybridization of your practice? (e.g. Separating govt payer into a separate practice in the same facility, non-par, etc)
<>What is your appetite for new hardware/software?
<>How close are you to your exit strategy?
<>How focused are you on delivering value/good medicine outside of what a EMR does?
<>Are you considering other platforms?
<>Do you desire to retro-grade to a previous version?
No two practices are the same, but all of the external pressures on independant Physicians and Providers are causing more to think outside of the box, and we have been contacted about all of the above multiple times.
For all, the business aspect of practicing medicine is now a major component; something we didn't talk about nearly as much 7-10 years ago.
Whether it is a payer, the government, or your EMR vendor speaking in imperatives, INDEPENDENT professionals, especially Physicians and Providers, respond poorly to threats (explicit or implicit). We are increasingly hearing that folks will take their financial penalties just so they can be more free to practice medicine as they see fit.
More practices are finding financial success and personal gratification in exiting the government payer systems, providing care for eggs, produce, whatever, and are financially more successful and far more pleased with practicing medicine.
Our experience is that beaucracies usually fail to grasp WHY our clients practice, and therefore they are danergously clueless as to what is happening and why they are actually
provoking it.
For example, practices are doing the math, and determining that billing outside of the EMR,
including coding, is something they can outsource, or staff, giving them more time to focus on patient care. For some, that is more important that MU or ICD10.
I suggest each practice determine what their answers are to the above, and then we talk to practices about how to achieve their future goals.
I'll be on the road in April going to/from Anahiem, and meeting with practices and user groups along the way, so folks can talk this through and get answers. Please let me know if you want to meetup in Anahiem or along the way.
