Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Using X-link with Medisoft and Amazing Charts

Hello,

I plan on investing in X-link for data transfer between Amazing Charts and Medisoft. I read a previous email in the forum in which a provider mentioned that, after researching x-link, he/she decided not to purchase X-link. I am now concerned that X-link might not be a good investment. Has anyone had experience using X-link with Amazing Charts and Medisoft? If so, can you please share with me the pros and cons based on your experience? Do you advise against using X-link? Thank you...:)!

What is x-link and what does it do? I

Hello vroberts!

X-link is an "interface" software that allows data to be transferred between different systems such as Amazing Charts and Medisoft (billing software). It will reduce the amount of data entry and paperwork necessary for claim processing as, presently, the information is being manually entered into both Amazing Charts and Medisoft. X-link will allow most of the data for claim processing (i.e. patient demographics and diagnoses and procedures codes) to be transferred directly from Amazing Charts into Medisoft. (My understanding is that insurance information cannot be transferred from Amazing Charts to Medisoft). Hope this explanation is hepful...:)!

Thanks Rose1.
I will be interested to hear about others' experience with xlink.

Me too...:)

On 8/20/10"imcffp" posted

"There is no clean 3rd party PM software. The use of x-link or HL7 products was too quirky for my tastes."

"imcffp" if you read this can you please share what it was about x-link that you found to be quirky?

Before going to med school (42yo), I automated practices in the NY metro area with MEDCOMP (AR and scheduling).

I always hated dealing with "finger pointing". My software is good, check the other software. My software is good, check the hardware. Hardware is good, must be your software guys.

Every time a looked at and researched x-link, I saw issues with compatibility and cost increases. Confirmed by AC support.

I know that there are offices using x-link, but I don't have the time to be "IT Guy". I need to see patients.

I tried HL7 with TotalMD, but there were may data transfer issues and cost increases as I had been warned by other users on this board.

I'm just a squirrel trying to get a nut (translate: single IM, trying to build a practice , year 3).

I wait patiently for AC's pmr, with good data transfer, functionality and KISS.

Here endeth the lesson. (James Malone aka. Sean Connery The Untouchables).

Thank you for the info. "imcffp"...:) After reading your email I spoke with an AD tech and was informed that support calls received for x-link (with Amazing Charts and Medisoft) usually involve data being transferred from Medisoft to Amazing Charts. Data being transferred from AC to Medisoft is normally not an issue...and two to three calls a day might be received. In contrast, the tech I spoke with had never yet received support calls from customers using HL7 as an interfrace between Medisoft and AC. I'm going to do some research on the HL7 interface vs. x-link and will share my findings...:)

Correction to my last email: I spoke with an "AC" tech not an "AD" tech...:)

I love Sean Connery in the Untouchables. My favorite: "They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way."

I'm sharing the email discussion I had with an Amazing Charts Tech in reference to using X-link as an interface for transferring data between Amazing Charts and Medisoft(I had to cut and past so I hope this is not difficult to read):

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Fri, Sep 17, 2010 6:08 am
Subject: HL7
From Tech:

Hello,

Here’s the breakdown of HL7 and Amazing Charts

There is a cost for the Amazing Charts (AC) interface $500.00 – The interface for Medisoft With HL7 can be turned on under view/admin options/ interfaces / HL7 – Medisoft.

The AC interface reads in HL7 (patient demographics) files and sends out HL7 files (charges)

Medisoft has a communication manager that creates the HL7 files (patient demographics) files and pull in HL7 files (charges).

Both AC and Medisoft share a folder for outgoing and incoming files.

Medisoft Communication Manager is $1,200 or so.

Hope this helps!


Rose: Thank you for the info. A few more questions when you have the opportunity:

-How does x-link fit in with the HL7 senario described below?

Tech: X-link would provide the communication between AC and Medisoft w/o creating any files, sort of a hidden conversion (which is why it’s so “costly”) and may sometimes run into conversion problems.

Rose: I was planning to purchase x-link and then heard about HL7, what is the difference?

Tech: Xlink runs in the background, it creates a ghost conversion of documents from Medisoft to AC.

HL7 “physically” creates files to be sent in or out – depending where it’s coming from.

Rose: Also, an AC tech told me that HL7 was available for $1 a year vs. using x-link and that the tech had yet to have a service call for customers using HL7 to transfer data from AC to Medisoft but gets two to three support/service calls a day from customers that use x-link?

Tech: HL7 export (the actual file used to IMPORT information into AC ) is $ 1. 00 – when you compare this to X-link (they will charge $500 to export any file)

The actual interface (which is a program that creates a “delivery file” on your computer created by AC is $500.00 for both X-link and HL7), not all practices want the interface on, which is why we only charge $1.00 dollar to import data into AC from HL7 files. Unlike for X-link, they charge us (AC) $500.00 for any imports.

In short if you want the interface “on” on AC, for HL7 or Xlink you will need to pay 500.00 for either.

If you only want to import a file, you will pay $1.00 for HL7 or $500.00 for Xlink

In addition, we do receive more common issues with people that use X-link, not all problems are X-link conversions or X-link related. I would say that 2 out the 3 calls are from user-end issues (customer that mess up here or there on X-link files). HL7 is easier to use, there is no extra steps to take here and there in comparison to Xlink.

Rose: Based on your experience, is HL7 more effecient then x-link?

Tech: Both are efficient, you can say that HL7 has “less hiccups”

Rose: When you refer to Medisoft Communication Manager, are you referring to x-link?

Tech: No, im referring to Medisoft Software program.

Rose: Hello, Thank you, that is very helpful. I guess what is confusing to me is that my understanding is that x-link was designed because data could not transfer back and forth between AC and Medisoft without first being converted by x-link. In other words the two softwares could not communicate without x-link. However, my understanding based on your emails is that x-link is not required for AC and Medisoft to communicate. The only difference is that it does it works "behind the scenes" which I guess is more cosmetic than technical and also is good if you want data to automatically tranfer throughout the day. Is that correct?

Tech: Yes. Exactly right.

Rose: My ultimate goal is to transfer claim information (data) from AC to Medisoft once a day. As the Medisoft software is in a separate office from AC, I planned to remotely connect to the desktop of the server where AC is installed, pick up the claim information from a folder on the desktop (or wherever you recommend) bring it over the internet and transfer it into Medisoft. As I mentioned above, my understanding was that the data could not be transferred directly into Medisoft; that the data first had to go through x-link before Medisoft would be able to interpret and import it. However, based on your email, it appears I do not need to invest in x-link. Am I correct? What would you recommend as the most cost effective and practical way to simply get claim data from AC to Medisoft via the internet? I'm not as concerned about data transferring from Medisoft to AC; the only time I can think of that this would be important is when we first purchase AC and need to tranfer the patient demographics from Medisoft to AC.

Tech: Given the way you plan to use the transfer of information from Medisoft to AC, the easiest and most cost effective way would be to use HL7. There will be an upfront cost of $500.00/year to activate the interface on AC BUT if you’re currently or will subscribe to Guardian Angel tech support then the interface is included in the $500.00 tech support fee. aside from that I don’t know if there are any extra fees with Medisoft to get any imports from EMR’s.

Side note, practices that invest on Xlink normally have other interfaces that require X-link to be the middle man. So its cost efficient for them to pay one fee with xlink to work on several programs. In your case, you only have one program, so it would be more cost efficient to stick with HL7

Thanks for sharing.

The $500.00 cost was pushed around, but it would appear that that is nonexistent for Support customers, which, I would suspect is most of us. Thus the only fee is on the medisoft side, and we know they love their fees.

Very interesting.

I echo St. Lawrence, thanks a lot. That is a lot of useful information.

You're welcome...:)

I spoke with Tech Support who said that there is a $500 charge even for AC users who have Guardian Angel Support. I still think it might be helpful to not have to enter the demographics twice.

We are in the process of purchasing Medisoft. We are not going to submit charges directly from AC. We are still going to enter the charges by hand into Medisoft.

We are interested in seeing about the interface so we won't have to enter demographics twice. Would the interface take away double entry of demographics?

Yes, the reason I am investing in an interface is to reduce the amount of data entry. My understanding is that with x-link, for example, the demographics are forwarded from Amazing chart to Medisoft everytime the provider signs a chart in Amazing Charts. The diagnoses and procedures codes are also transferred. I was informed; however, that the insurance information has to be manually entered. Based on the research I've done to date, for me, investing in the interface is more cost effective and efficient than having to hire and train staff to do the data entry.

Yes, the reason I am investing in an interface is to reduce the amount of data entry. My understanding is that with x-link, for example, the demographics are forwarded from Amazing chart to Medisoft everytime the provider signs a chart in Amazing Charts. The diagnoses and procedures codes are also transferred. I was informed; however, that the insurance information has to be manually entered. Based on the research I've done to date, for me, investing in the interface is more cost effective and efficient than having to hire and train staff to do the data entry.

Thanks so much Rose1. We will be getting the interface soon.

We are getting the link to Medisoft tomorrow and have opted to go with Gateway for our clearinghouse because of the support and report capabilities.

Thanks again for your willingness to share your time and experience.

Just curious if you considered a clearing house such as Office Ally which has no fee for their clearing house service?

We currently use OA, but decdied at the first to use Gateway because of the support we will get that OA doesn't offer.
Once we know what we're doing, we might go back. We'll see.

I see. Thank you for the response...:)

Just to let you know, Communications Manager is packaged with Medisoft, but the license is separate.

Our plan:
1. Export demographics
2. Using ODBS Import into Medisoft
3. Communicate with AC via Communications Manager
4. Enter all new patient demographics once in Medisoft and send to AC
5. EDI through Gateway.