Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are quite the political hot potato. The promise has always been good – by automating and standardizing records information between doctors caring for a patient is eased. And the interactions with billing and insurance companies made simpler. All this should, in theory, dramatically save money and improve care.
EMR is in the wheelhouse of New Jersey-based IT provider PriorityOne Group. The provider just snagged a deal to help the Raritan Bay Medical Center choose and then install the optimum EMR as well as other medical automation wares.
An MSP such as PriorityOne can also help with one of the trickier EMR issues. Given HIPAA and other compliance regulations, privacy is paramount. An MSP with IT experience can make sure the right policies are in place, and that hardware and software security safeguards are implemented.
“We’re pleased to have PriorityOne Group as part of this important program that will provide options for our physicians to help improve and enhance the way they do business to ultimately allow them to deliver great care to their patients,” remarked Michael D’Agnes, CEO of Raritan Bay Medical Center. “Our goal is to ensure the success of our physicians and the Physicians’ Advantage Program is an innovative and meaningful resource,” continued Mr. D’Agnes.
Health 2.0
Healthcare automation proponents sometimes refer to the new world of medical automation as Health 2.0, a blanket term for Internet-enabled collaboration, new style record keeping and sharing, and other technologies. With Health 2.0, data is available to more folks, privacy laws permitting, and the information is interactive, allowing those that view it to mark it up or search for more detail.
Much of this information is aimed at helping patients learn about their issues, ask better questions and make better decision. And, in theory, this should save doctors time as the patient already understands the basics of their illness or concerns.
Obama and EMR
Critics of Obamacare, now in the process of rolling out, have found a new punching bag in EMR. Obamacare supporters argued that EMR would drastically increase efficiency and slash costs. In fact, EMR is a requirement of the Obama administration healthcare law.
Those critics now argue that EMR, by documenting and publishing patient appointment and service information, makes it easier for the providers to charge for each and every thing, thus driving up costs.
If true, this would offer an usual way to justify investment in EMR and calculate the return on investment.
Edited by
Brooke Neuman
