Replace EMR Software

Replace EMR Software – Data Conversions to Greenway PrimeSUITE

If you are considering replacing your EMR system, you are in good company. In July of 2012, KLAS® reported that half of new EMR purchases are from providers who intend to replace EMR systems. Many physicians are finding a need to replace EMR software or medical billing software systems for many reasons.

Our EMR software does not meet meaningful use
Our EMR software is too slow
I am worried that our EMR vendor is not financially stable
Our EMR or practice management software system has been discontinued
Do we need a data conversion from our old system to Greenway?
Which practice management and EMR systems can you convert to Greenway?

Our EMR software does not meet Meaningful Use

Many EMR systems are not expected to meet progressively more difficult meaningful use standards. Eligibility for meaningful use of an EHR requires reporting on discrete data within your practice management and EHR software, and not all systems have been brought up to date on the new requirements.

Eligible for Meaningful Use EHR Software Incentives. Greenway PrimeSUITE® 2011 is an ONC-ATCB Complete EHR. The 2011/2012 criteria supports the Stage 1 meaningful use measures required to qualify eligible providers and hospitals for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Our EMR software is too slow

Are you frustrated with an EMR system that is slowing your staff down and reducing patient time? EMRs are supposed to have certain key benefits, right?

EMRs are supposed to save time, increase productivity, and improve patient satisfaction. Sadly, far too many providers are finding quite the opposite – reduced patient time, lost productivity, and patients who grow tired of technology issues interrupting time with physicians. This is a key reason why physicians are moving to replace EMR systems that slow down the workflow of the practice.

To combat these common EMR complaints, MDS has combined the award-winning Greenway PrimeSUITE practice management and EMR system with a host of consultative training and support services. In fact, it is possible that your current EMR complaints may have nothing to do with the software itself! Often, groups can trace their dissatisfaction back to unresolved hardware and I.T. issues, inadequate training, or unresponsive technical support. However, it is possible that your EMR software system is the problem. “Too many clicks” to get where you need to go, coded in a way that reduces its performance, does not interface with other systems (hospital systems, etc.), or does not have the specialty clinical content or workflow features that you need.

>> Learn how MDS Medical is different from your current EMR vendor
>> Learn why Greenway PrimeSUITE was awarded Best in KLAS for 6 consecutive years

I am worried that our EMR vendor is not financially stable

Imagine zero collections for months. Corrupted, lost, or inaccessible patient data. Patients waiting hours to see providers because your patient scheduling information has vanished. Productivity crawling to a screeching halt because your vendor fails to deliver timely support. These are very real possibilities when your undercapitalized EMR vendor abruptly closes its doors.

Competition is fierce between EMR vendors seeking to capitalize on federal incentive opportunities, but many experts and industry insiders agree that only a handful of the strongest vendors will survive.

Like other industries – banking, insurance, airlines – it’s not a matter of if the industry will consolidate, it’s when. Development of a quality EHR product that meets increasingly stringent federal mandates – including enabling providers to achieve Meaningful Use stages 1, 2, and 3 and supporting ICD-10 code sets – requires substantial programming and development resources that small, undercapitalized vendors may struggle to pull off.

Some industry consolidation and product discontinuation has already occurred – just ask users of McKesson’s PracticePoint Manager™, MediNotes™, PeakPractice, and Allscripts Misys EMR, and Allscripts MyWay, among others. Only the best EHR products will be acquired and supported by large vendors with deep pockets. Many systems will simply be discontinued and physician groups will be left to fend for themselves.

Here are some red flags to watch out for that your EMR vendor may be struggling financially:

Your EMR does not meet meaningful use Stage 1, or your vendor has not communicated its intentions or plans for meeting Stage 2.
Progressively longer delays in getting technical issues resolved (can point to cutbacks in client services, the first area that struggling vendors will look for cost savings)
You are hearing news that your vendor is laying off support and training (e.g. “overhead”) staff

>> MDS Medical is Greenway’s leading nationwide partner of the award-winning PrimeSUITE system, and was ranked on the 2011 and 2009 Inc. 5000 lists of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America. MDS has been in business since 1988 as a privately held company in Arizona. Greenway Medical is a publicly traded company on the NYSE under the ticker symbol GWAY.

Our EMR software has been discontinued

What do you do when your EMR vendor announces that your EMR will be “sunsetted” or “discontinued”?

If you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of learning that your product has been sunsetted (discontinued or no longer developed or supported), or your vendor has went out of business – you might be worried about the expense of migrating to a new system. Sometimes the vendor will offer a free data conversion to their “move forward” product. Many groups may choose the move forward product, only because it appears to be the path of least resistance. However, we’ve seen large EMR vendors repeatedly sunset products when they have more than one product in a particular space.

Sometimes, the sunsetting of your EMR can provide you with a unique opportunity to shop for EMRs again. You have an opportunity to choose the best product for your practice, and having some experience in the area will put you in a stronger position to ask vendors the right questions.

If your EMR software has been discontinued, we generally provide special pricing on data conversions from the old product to Greenway. Ask us about special pricing on data conversions!

>> Greenway PrimeSUITE has been built from the ground up as a single, integrated practice management and electronic medical records system. Greenway is a publicly traded company on the NYSE (GWAY) and PrimeSUITE is the only EMR product developed by the company.

Do we need a data conversion from our old system to Greenway?

A data conversion, or data migration is used to safely and efficiently move data from your old system to your new one. Not all data conversions are created equal! In fact, a shoddy data conversion can have a dramatically negative impact on your overall success, and even impact patient safety.

MDS ensures that the timing of your data migration is carefully considered. We evaluate the readiness of your staff as well as offer advice on patient scheduling immediately following your data conversion and “go live”. Generally, the data migration mapping and prep work will be done in the weeks leading up to your “go live,” while the actual data migration probably will occur on a weekend in order to provide minimal disruption to the practice.

MDS has extensive experience converting discrete data from legacy practice management and EHR systems to Greenway PrimeSUITE.

There may be some cases where it may not make financial sense to pay for a data migration at all. Instead you may wish to use your internal resources and staff, particularly if you are a smaller group. It depends on many factors, such as how long you have been on your current practice management or EHR system, the quality or integrity of the data in your current software, the skills and available time of internal staff, and your budget.

Which Practice Management and EMR Software systems can be converted to Greenway?

MDS Medical can migrate your data to PrimeSUITE from many common practice management and electronic health record software systems, including (but not limited to):