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Can a $19 billion spoonful of sugar help doctors swallow the cost of going digital?
Josh Hyatt, CFO Magazine
May 1, 2009
Although this article does bring up some insight on why insurers want c-EHR systems, the article has a lot of misconceptions and misstatements typical of what is seen in most HIMSS postings, s.a.: * "Just as technology streamlined industries like retailing and financial services, it should create efficiencies in health care that will slow premium growth from its traditional annual rate of about 7%." ---> There are no citations offered to show a decent study demonstrating these "efficiencies", let alone their effect on the rate of growth of medicine. * "Malpractice insurers have already linked electronic systems with better-quality care; some will reduce premiums by as much as 5% for doctors who have gone digital." ---> Very few have actually decreased their premiums. What is not mentioned is that c-EHRs actually can result in INCREASED errors, decreased quality, false documentation and the loss of privacy is a very important Achilles heel of EMRs. * "...only about 9% of the country's 5,000 hospitals and just under 20% of its 800,000 physicians use computerized recordkeeping..." ---> The only thing that is important is those that will fall into the category of "meaningful use". The actual numbers are 2% of hospitals and 4% of physicians. * "Rand, the nonprofit think tank, estimates that when 90% of health-care providers use such systems, the savings will amount to $77 billion a year." ---> This has never been proven. We all know what "nonprofit" means- i.e. nothing. CCHIT is "nonprofit" and is considered by many to be an organization which is corrupt, anticompetative corporation that was founded by "enterprise" EMR companies to eliminate competition, to give a perceived value to "certification" that increases prices while decreasing functionality, and functions not unlike the mafia flouting anti-trust laws. CCHIT pays off its founding "enterprise" EMR founders well, even though it is still legally a "nonprofit". * "...ROI calculations of such a move showed some modest financial benefit." ---> For every group that make a c-EHR work, studies have shown a 50% failed installation rate, an 8% deinstallation rate, and those that do make their c-EHRs functional, only about 10% actually use them "significantly". So the vast literature shows that c-EHR = FAILURE. Why didn't this article interview angry docs that have lost multi-thousands in the quest for the c-EHR ROI? * "For small practices like these, the price of implementing an EMR system could reach nearly $40,000 per physicia." ---> That's only the initial cost, which ignores the average $1500 per month ongoing fees and the cost of "significant use". Overall the average 5 year cost is estimated to be about $300,000.00 per physician. * "But LifeBridge's Barker says that the best way for hospitals to sway doctors isn't by using an economic argument. "Find a shared goal," she advises. "Talk about improving patient outcomes." ---> Yeah right, we doctors are out to lose money all in the name of "improved outcomes", none of which have been documented to date in a good study pinning paper vs EMR. In actuality, the reverse is true- several studies have shown that when they are looked at together, EMR quality is NOT shown to be superior. * "CFOs, too, may soon develop an affection for EMRs ý especially if the technology proves to be an antidote to soaring health-care premiums." ---> Again, c-EHR systems are expensive, rarely show a ROI and have never been shown to decrease healthcare costs. So there are some truths that are unfortunately suffocated by many misstatements. I give this report a D-. Al
Posted by Alberto Borges | May 03, 2009 04:30 am
I have a patent on a system that will save thousands of life's and Billions of Tax dollars! Google or someone need to see this! Please help if you can! This story above is about a database. I have invented a medical database based on Biometric's that doesn't use a patients personal information at all! Here is a short newspaper story about it and if you can help please contact me! Before reading you must know that this system will save life should someone pass out and no one know who you are! Wipe your finger print and we will have all your medical records in 2 sec. Prescription drugs: New Tech Places Florida as a Leader in the Nation to Close Pill Mills By Micheal P. McManus April 26, 2009 As a Federal Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, I fought the drug war for more than 28 years. After retiring I have come to realize that heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy are not among the most abused drugs anymore. One of the biggest threats in our current war on drugs is prescription medicine. According to the DEA, more than 7 million Americans are abusing prescription drugs; that's more than the number of people abusing cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, ecstasy, and inhalants combined. In the 1980's, Florida was known as the drug capital of our country. A combination of aggressive law enforcement, increased treatment programs and education resulted in a dramatic decline in Florida's image in the drug war. However, we now find that prescription drugs are emerging as the drug of choice of the 21st century. Once again, Florida is on the front lines ? having the reputation of being America's prescription drug capital. So, why is Florida the capital of prescription drug abuse? The answer is simple: our state has failed respond to this 21st century challenge by enacting an effective, cutting edge prescription monitoring database system. Without a database, drug traffickers will continue to take advantage of Florida's failure to act. There are currently 38 states with prescription drug databases. However, these states rely on weak, outdated technology that does not allow for real-time entry of prescribing and dispensing data ? meaning days go by before red flags go up on potentially dangerous activity. For example, it can be up to two weeks before information is downloaded to a database to evaluate if a person is "doctor shopping" or obtaining multiple prescriptions from multiple doctors. This reporting lag time can mean lives lost. Fortunately, our lawmakers now realize the significance of this tool in this new war on drugs. Unfortunately, they are on the verge of adopting this out-of-date system. We can do better, and we must. In today's world we must apply the best technology available to equip law enforcement officers with the information they need to stop prescription fraud. We have a unique opportunity to adopt an electronic finger printing system called biometrics. This system uses real-time reporting, is more secure and protects the privacy of law-abiding patients. The biometric system is very easy to use ? a person can walk in and simply roll their fingerprint and information is immediately available. By using this biometric system, we will now have the technology to allow us to identify doctor shoppers in 5 seconds ? not 15 days, not 15 hours, but 15 seconds. I've seen this technology in action. It works, it is secure and it is what we need to fight this emerging threat. If implemented, this system has the potential to bring doctor shopping in Florida to a dead stop. This is clearly a unique opportunity for the state legislators to step up and be the leader in fighting the war on drugs. Florida lawmakers have a choice: go with a weaker drug protection system and come back in a couple of years to deal with the consequences, or take advantage of the latest technology and become a leader in protecting lives. 800-797-4711 954-548-7800 www.bioscriptrx.com
Posted by Jeff Neff | May 01, 2009 05:02 pm
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