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Posts: 667
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 85
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I picked AC for my husband 4 years ago. Back then AC was the only EMR I could find that seemed to be built around how a doctor practices medicine.
And as a patient, I want my doctor focused on me and my problem, not on the !@#ing computer. Documentation is important, sure. But it seemed to me that if my husband had to interrupt his train of thought to fiddle with the computer that would make his life miserable.
If I ruled the world - I'd send a top notch IT person to at least 200 offices and have them observe how AC is used. Then I'd have them sit and brainstorm how they could make it work better. I guarantee they'd fix stuff we don't even know needs fixing.
I'd also get together a basic system with everything a doc needs to go electronic. Server(s), desktop(s), laptop(s), printer(s), fax server; and make it available as a package deal.
Would we buy AC again? Yes.
Could it be better? Of course.
Would we pay more if it were better? You bet!
Do we care about the PM? No, because we use the billing company that AC used to recommend.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546 Likes: 1
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546 Likes: 1 |
Actually I was not necessarily saying do away with the PM. What I am saying is you must first shore up your foundation before trying to get bigger or taller. Continue to IMPROVE the thing you already do best (not just add cool or useless stuff. Paperport, for instance, took a perfectly good version 9 and crapped it up in V12 with "tweaks" which have threatened its functionality). When that is secure, then, if needed, look for ways to climb higher. I personally do think, however, the quest for a new PM was a mistake. If partnering with UPDOCs and partnering with Lab Corp and partnering with others was the right move for AC then why not partner with a billing company that is already doing it right? Why try to re-invent the wheel? Now, in fact, I DO have a problem with AC partnering with UPDOCs in order to achieve a federally mandated patient portal for health information. I would much rather see AC make that an integral part of THEIR program and not have to pay for another piece of software, the most of which I would not use. I really like the idea of being able to buy a program in modules. I could dispense with all the MU and reporting parts, and pay for the parts I do use (like UpDox). My gripe is all the bells and whistles that AC has tacked on. I know AC doesn't want to hear this over and over, but v7 was rather shortsighted. You simply cannot have a hiccup in a practice management program. I just don't see how AC thought it was a good idea except to bring on more customers. I think the customers lost would have been other customers gained. But, Bert, remember there were numerous posts here from physicians who felt it was mandatory that AC have practice management in order to stay competitive. Whom are they supposed to believe?
David Grauman MD
Department of Medicine
Commonwealth Health Center
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,023 Likes: 5
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Whom are they supposed to believe? Bert, of course. Gene
Gene Nallin MD solo family practice with one PA Cumberland, Md
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,888 Likes: 34
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Competitive. They were competitive for 10 years. They got the KLAS awards without the PM eClinicalWorks couldn't make it without a PM. eMDs and Centricity couldn't. When you are paying that kind of money....
but AC was in a niche market. In fact, one could argue they were the market. This is just my opinion.
When I was desperately searching for an EMR until I found AC, I was looking for an EMR, not a PM. While I was searching my office manager was busy on Medisoft. In my new practice, she was busy on Medware.
Bert
Pediatrics
Brewer, Maine
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