(2009-09-10) Dell And Emr Players

Dell Computer announced *its plan to form a partnership with hospital groups around the country to offer ElectronicHealthRecords (EHR) - hardware, software, consulting services and financing - to their affiliated physicians. Dell, like the other players, sees the big opportunity as being in offices with 10 doctors or fewer, where three-fourths of the nation's physicians practice medicine... Dell plans to act as the hardware supplier and general contractor, working with partners like E Clinical Works, a maker of electronic health record software, and Perot Systems for Data Center hosting, if the medical groups outsource that task. *

(See previous 2009-03-13-WalmartEmr.)

Dr. Gee tried again. This time, he went with an online service for billing and electronic health records. His supplier, Athena Health, offers not only Internet technology, but also a distinctive business model, which some analysts say could prove a winner in encouraging small practices to adopt digital records. The company handles most of the back-office functions of billing and medical records, and collects a fraction of the physician's revenue - 5 to 8 percent, in Dr. Gee's case.

Financially, Dr. Gee says, he has come out ahead, since he no longer pays an outside billing company. And he is a convert to digital health records.

Like all physicians who are enthusiasts, Dr. Gee speaks of the value of alerts and reminders of patient care, automated tracking of lab tests and e-prescribing. It saves time, paperwork and helps make him a better doctor, he said. Dr. Gee roams the office with his tablet PC and a Bluetooth ear piece, dictating his notes using voice-to-text software.

Whether a company, hospital or community health technology assistance centers, which the government program finances, small practices need hand-holding and technical help, Dr. Gee said.

The federal assistance, he said, has "a lot of potential to do good things for the country, but it could also end up as a huge headache for small practices. We're doctors, not technologists. You need help to manage the process."