Home Forums Discussions Problems What's Up with Tech support ?

My old practice management software that I have been using for 20 years died one month ago. We did not panic. I greatly look forward to AC's practice management module. I need it. Seems like we are holding our own in the interim but I need it. We do all our billing in house. My old PM program also had an EMR. It was horrible. I tried to use it for years. Cash is still flowing...not alot of cash but enough to keep me going.

I have used AC for 28 months. I have not had to pay anything for IT support during the past 28 months. The company that did my PM program disappeared 3-4 years ago. I just emailed tech support about MU reporting frustration and have an appt with them for tomorrow. I just emailed back cancelling as somehow we figured this out and have the reports now.

I supposed I could pay somebody a monthly fee to rid myself of these IT frustrations. At a recent med staff meeting, I heard alot of horror stories. I am still a private solo practice. Maybe the only one left in my community. Outpatient only. In a climate of "trust no one", I still trust AC. I don't feel extorted like some of my colleagues. I'm not hearing of anyone any happier than me with their EMR. We've had our frustrations but nothing like the horror stories I'm hearing from others. I guess I'm a pollyanna but I see AC as the "little engine that could" and may wind up the last man standing.

My point is that AC is still simple and elegant. We have to jump through all these hoops and still try to take care of patients safely on a day to day basis. This IT stuff just doesn't seem that difficult but its another language and TIME CONSUMING. Sometimes complaining on this board can save one alot of time. I'm lucky my husband is so geeky!! And steps up to the challenge...with no formal IT training.

I did not care so much for PM until mine old one died. Now I care more. I'd rather have it through AC but if that wasn't possible I'd survive.

Nancy

I would have to think you are in the minority. I hate to say this, but I think it helps prove a point: I didn't get to be the admin on the board if Jon didn't give it to me. I am sure part of it was because I was on here constantly and most of my posts were positive. I believed in AC and tried to be part of building it and helping others so they could do the same. Now, I just hope Jon doesn't read my posts.

Your sentiments, which you are certainly entitled to, were mine two years ago. At that time, it was the Little Engine That Could. For me, it is now the Big Engine That Couldn't. There were always things that I didn't find as helpful as it could be like the letter writer. But, it didn't hinder the usefulness of AC. Now the prescription writer (not the ePrescriber -- that is just part of the script writer) can be nearly unusable. The printing to certain print drivers does not work.

Today, a gynecologist called me about a patient. She asked me what OCP my patient was on. I pulled up her chart and told her just a second. I clicked on the script writer. It felt like an eternity, but in reality, it was only 40 seconds. It was embarrassing to have to sit there and make her wait until it opened.

I do think that the PM will be free. So, that is likely why you are not going with another company for billing. But, you could.

I just want my EMR back.

Bert, I find that we disagree on this specific point quite interesting. Even amusing. I do understand why you feel this way. All companies get to a point where they have to make a decision around this type of issue. Its one of those types of issues I find fun to work with.

I don't think you have to worry.

Yes, all companies do. And, AC should have decided not to make a PM. Other companies don't.

It is also amusing that it goes totally against your signature line.

What I find interesting is that so many people on the boards have expressed how badly they need AC to come out with their PM. "My PM program that I used for 20 years crashed and I have to have a new one fast". "I need the AC PM program". Granted, for those of us doing in house billing we need a PM program. But we do not necessarily need the AC PM. I have been using the same PM program since 1997 and it is perfect for me. I RARELY call tech support. It never crashes. It is ready for 5010. I can get all the reports I need. It does cost me annually but I have no doubts it is worth it. Sure, there is the issue of duplicate entry but really, how hard is that?
No screen takes 5-10 seconds to load as does the Imported Items screen on my AC. Until I started using AC 7 years ago I always believed the adage "you get what you pay for". The AC of old definitely gave more than what I paid. The new AC makes me believe that adage again and I suspect the PM program will further demonstrate that.

Once again, I couldn't agree more with Leslie. Has anyone thought about their biller? My biller is incredible and has been using Medware for 12 years. I have little doubt she would quit if I changed software.

The other thought, and yes I see this line being quoted, but if you put all your eggs in one basket, if you do have to change EMRs for some reason, you then have to scramble to find a new PM or at least have to change everything over.

I agree that your own current situation with billing may drive your opinion about this. At the time of the 2010 ACUC, I was considering bringing my billing in-house. At that time I pushed Jon B to finish PM and commit to a date when it would be ready (he told me 1/1/11). In the intervening 15 months, I have recommitted to my current billing process, so I am much less concerned about whether PM is in AC or not. I do think there are many established users who would like integrated PM and many more prospective ones who would like it. Of course the key is to avoid messing up your EMR in the process of creating a PM.

For a slightly more optimistic outlook: there was a clear reason for creating versions 5, 6, and 7. You might not agree with the reasons, but they were there. After 7 is out, what is next? My hope is that all of AC's development resources will turn to fixing what we already have. If you step away from all of this now and come back in 6 months, maybe 7 will be out, many fixes for 6 and 7 will be out, and work will be well underway towards improving the "base program".

True, some want a PM. I want a TSP Printer that works and a prescription writer that pops right up.

To quote Leslie a million times. Careful what you wish for.

Lose a % of users for not building the PM. But, keep many more by keeping AC rock solid.

I need a PMR. I want it to be integrated with the emr. I don't have the staff to do double entry. A beta version of the pmr is supposed to be out in the next three month window (4th Quarter 2011).

The pmr will take AC to a complete product.

If you have the need, great.

If you don't have a need, great.

Choice is what this is about.

But those of us who do not want it will not have that choice. It will be integrated with our current EMR. We may choose not to use it (just like MU or HM or orders)but the intricacies, data load and tech devotion to it will surely encumber the EMR side. If I were AC, and decided I needed a PM feature, I would have developed it separately from the EMR, billed it as a separate program and then charged for a bridge between the 2 products. AC was already a complete product....amazing CHARTS...an EMR.

Leslie,

I have applied for a corporation and patent for Amazinger Charts. We should be ready to move forward by 1/1/11. I will have to make you CFO, since I would spend way too much money.

What I find on this topic is this. I understand those who feel that adding a PM will make AC more valuable and more attractive to prospective customers. What I don't understand is that there aren't more people considering that AC would be more valuable without the PM.

I think the PM is coming whether you like it or not. I agree with Jon. Hopefully, V7 will come out and then all resources will be turned toward polishing AC and getting it where it should be.

We can still have our opinion. So, if V7 comes out in early 2012, which is my guess, then users go with an inferior product for four months? Doesn't make good business sense to me.

I have been following this thread with great interest. I find it is the most interesting thread on this forum so far, in my opinion.

Most of the posts after mine are reflecting in some way what I said in my post. I also find that interesting.

I have also come to the conclusion that Bert didn't necessarily disagree with me so much as he just didn't like what I said.

And there is nothing wrong with that at all.

JamesNT

I never like what you say. LOL. Just kidding.

I have no problem saying what I am about to say in public:

Bert, I think you're cool. It is never my intention to offend you and, yes, I freely admit that my ability to discourse information is limited at times. If I owe you an apology, let me know and I'll have it to you faster than you can say. . . apology.

JamesNT

Thanks James. I appreciate that. But no apology needed.

Well, we made the choice of AC based upon what was "Best" for our Provider to Chart well and easily first and foremost. And I believe that because most AC users are "Owner, Operators" might we say, Docs who own and run their own small practices they made the choice first and foremost upon what was Best for Charting and making that side of their doctor's life and practice work well... And for those who want an easy to chart, easy to learn, easy to teach non-medical like staff, and easy to maintain system AC made a WHOLE LOT of SENSE all the way thru 4.0 if not even most of 5.0....

BUT as medicine became more and more difficult to make a buck at and docs learned that they could not afford to leave not one last dollar on the table uncollected and unrealized, I think there was a growing need, realization that an "Integrated" PM made a whole lot of sense.... And then there are those who already think that way either because that is who they always were, or similar things experiences taught them such even if not as AC users, and so some or many (not sure how many, Jon Knows this best) made choices to buy in or NOT buy in based upon whether or not AC had a PM as part of itself....

I, WE originally bought in because AC used to Promote the Product as having PM Functions built in.... Later on a "Bug" was found in the math part, the Financial section and so Jon stopped promoting it as such.... That was a number of years ago now... So at least some of us have been waiting a good long time for this correction, improvement to be made... This is why the "Warning" pops up telling users that AC is NOT a PM and should not be depended upon as such, but that one is "Coming".... when you log into the financial side of the Admin options...

I personally have always thought that if someone could create the AC of BOTH Sides then they would have the Market practically to themselves as long as they could market it and get the word out well... Imagine a two side product like that for all of you who do both or have staff doing one while you doc on the other side and oversee their work. This is what some of the biggest players do... Take the visit from the frontdesk check in all the way to check out, co-pays collected and recorded and what have you, with the ability to give patients printed reciepts and perhaps even run or at least record a credit card transaction too.

I see the PM part as much like other interesting PITA to create and bring out of BETA options and features we have right now be it E-Rx, the MidMark Ritter that probably less people use than do use, Sync Function, just to name a few.... Make use of them if you want to and hopefully they serve their purpose for you... and if not then don't use them because you don't want or need to use your ECG that way let's say... But it's there as a choice and as a marketing side of the product. For those that want it, it is there and therefore it gains more market share from those that such a thing is nice or important to...

So use the PM and enjoy it, hopefully it will function well and help docs run their practices and keep more of the money they deserve to earn and keep.... and if that is not your bag or you already own a product that you like and don't want to change over, then that is your choice as well. And Jon and AC even have interfaces there so many of the well known products can sort of talk and work with AC to some extent... Again use them as you see fit.... And again each one of those choices are again a marketing tool, a potential new customer "Hook" because someone really likes or is otherwise invested in their own PM product... It's all good as long as it does not take away too much from the originaly product which is a great easy to use charting system....

But with Calenders, schedulars, the old previously marketed PM like functions, export of encounters to upload to a bill company for many years now, and interoffice email and other stuff, AC always WAS a PM to some extent and really just needed to be properly Finished and Completed. She sort of was, but was at the same time "Incomplete".... And so to me this is finally making good on what was once part of the product to begin with and was always half expected by us end users...

And I still think had Jon done the PM back in like 2007 or '08 he would have had such a Mega Hit on his hands that we would not even be having this conversation today... It would simply be "AC" that we all know and use regularly and just "Know".... I think he could have almost claimed the small practice side of this market as his own.... Nobody else would have even come close too all of that in this price and easy of use range....

Paul

I have been waiting for PM for a long time. I have been waiting so long, MTBC has started to get their act together.

I would like an integrated product. Sure, not everyone would but I think it's the best in the long run.

@Bert, If I remember correctly, you were not going to go for the MU money. If that is the case, why not "downgrade" back to version 5?

I think the refills are much better in V6. I also heard that you can lose data going backwards.

It's a good point though.

Having a good integrated PM would be nice and save us some time. Having one as buggy as V6 sounds to be would drive us all nuts. And, Paul, I don't think having a PM system of any sort (beyond a green eyeshade and a quill pen) gets more money. All the PM does is figure out the bill and print/send it in whatever form, and report who owes how much. A good one saves the biller time, but that's it. Coding properly requires knowledge, and garbage in, garbage out applies. The key to collecting more IMHO is and always has been the staff member, not the computer.

LOL. No, my view is not at odds with my signature. (I assume that was for me). I feel that for AC to have a complete product they need the PM. As Paul said, it has always had some PM features like scheduling and email. But the elephant in the room is "Revenue Cycle Mgmt." ok, new buzz words. sorry. I think when most of us refer to PM, we mean the full capabilities of billing software in addition to the things AC has like internal email and scheduling. And I feel they will need this complete product offering in order to thrive.

There definitely are dangers. I think we all would agree that AC appears to have it technical resources spread too thinly, and that is resulting in more bugs, more features that just outright dont seem to work. Fewer corrections of old problems while new features keep showing up (that dont fully work). And adding the developmental and support effort for the full PM system could be overwhelming for them, causing them to actually go out of business (worst case scenario). I feel Jon's challenge is to successfully get this added to the system while actually improving on the other issue people are complaining about. Its a big challenge.

He may have to try to find a way to increase his resources. Or his business model may have to be modified. He's already raised his prices, and while I doubt he lost many current customers, he did hear alot of griping.(but not from me).

I have seen so many "how to pick an emr" articles that say "if it doesnt have integrated billing, don't get it". Obviously, I didn't agree with them totally back in 2005, and I dont now. But I agree with them "more" now. Its just so much to try to manage with multiple entries and programs. It wouldn't be so bad if AC could really partner with a system like ezclain or officeally where they worked together and insured that data was transferred seamlessly between the programs. But in real life, that doesnt usually happen unless the programs are from the same company. and even then sometimes not.

I would hate to see AC put out this PM module, and it turned out to be so bad that I and others opted to use a different one in spite of the extra work incurred with using a program from a different vendor. It is a fear though.

I dont' know what Jon's pricing model will be for the new module. That will play heavily into him having enough resouces to properly continue development and maintenance of the product.

Uh oh. Commuter train is about to leave.

Bert,

quite an assumption.

Inferior product???

@Frank Please don't take my posts out of context. My statement was in response to Bill's saying that AC will be able to get Amazing Charts to where it should be, ONLY AFTER V7 is completed. If Bill is correct, then my statement was based on fact.