EMRs for Free… Really?
June 23rd, 2008 by Jon Mertz
(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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With Stark Law changes, there is increased interest in what hospitals can and cannot do as it relates to giving Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software to physician practices. A recent article in Physicians Practice highlights the fact that there is no such thing as “free.”
Although some EMR costs are covered (e.g., software purchase, order and results integration), there are other costs that will be required. For example:
- Hardware costs
- Technical support costs
- Ongoing application support costs
- Hosting costs (if SaaS or ASP model is used)
The article points out the obvious point: With Stark and other “free” options, the overall costs of an implemented EMR are still lower than if the physician practice implemented it on their own. Implementing the EMR application still creates benefits such as potentially higher pay-for-performance payments, possible payer subsidies and, of course, more accuracy in patient care. “Free” may not be completely free, but it is a reasonable starting point.
Last 5 posts by Jon Mertz
- Hospitals Creating Their Own Networks - August 18th, 2008
- Healthcare Unbound Conference Insights - July 15th, 2008
- Electronic Medical Record Perspectives Grow - June 27th, 2008
- EMRs for Free... Really? - June 23rd, 2008
- HL7 Continuity of Care Document Quick Start Guide - June 12th, 2008
