Bruce Kleaveland

When your EHR fails you, don't panic. Here's how to create the best possible 'downtime' plan.

Nearly everyone agrees that electronic health records (EHRs) make good clinical sense; but considering the cost and effort of installing an EHR, it is a reasonable question to ask if an EHR makes good financial sense.

As many of you already know, Meaningful Use is the buzzword being applied by Feds in conjunction with EHR stimulus package; a package that is slated to pay providers that adopt EHRs anywhere from $44,000 to $63,750 over five years. The heart of the legislation is Meaningful Use, which stipulates that it is not enough to simply buy an EHR; you must use the EHR in very specific way. In my humble opinion, this is a truly unique opportunity, offering a very generous subsidy to help practices offset the expense of an EHR. Here is some of what you need to know.

Voice recognition software has gotten more sophisticated and easier to use. Still, is it good enough yet to be worth the time and money it will cost you to use it?

Interoperability is the buzz word right now in health IT, but how close are we to exchanging information across wildly fragmented data systems? We investigate the progress and trends.

Considering outsourcing the business side of your practice to a revenue cycle management firm? Let someone deal with the claims and collections headaches … right? Maybe. We examine the pros, cons, expenses, and benefits.

With more emphasis being placed on patients to self-manage their care, now may be a good time to introduce a PHR.

You want to go electronic but you worry that the technology will mystify you. An ASP may be the answer.

With more emphasis being placed on patients to self-manage their care, you’d better know what personal health records are, and how they will affect your practice.

Patient-entered histories can streamline office visits. But can you trust them to tell their stories without you?

New research is raising uncomfortable questions about the connection between EMRs and improved patient outcomes. Can information technology really make you a better physician?

EMRs may hold the key to helping you gain from pay-for-performance programs.

Has voice recognition technology finally advanced enough to be reliable?

How electronic prescribing will make your life easier and your patients healthier.

If you’re looking for an EMR, you’ll have to decide between scrapping your current practice management system and starting fresh, or combining your existing system with your new EMR.

In the market for an EMR? Here’s a crucial question: Client-server or ASP? Relax. We’ll explain what it means. And help you decide.

Most patients would love to communicate with you via e-mail. But only a fraction of you allow this. What gives?

Why an EMR is essential in the new world of pay-for-performance.

Web tools you can use.

Are RHIOs just the latest fad, or is ther some fire behind all the smoke?

Perhaps more physicians would be comfortable purchasing EMRs if a respected organization tested and certified the systems that meet specific levels of capability. Such a process is on the way.