Most people who talk about the benefits of electronic health records (EHR, sometimes called EMR) focus on time and cost savings. Ingenix CareTracker EHR client Dr. Pablo Rodriguez says the technology helps him to be a better doctor.
Dr. Rodriguez is CEO of Womens Care, which is one of the largest womens health care practices in southern New England. He is an advocate of the role of technology in health care improvement efforts. At a recent event for area physicians, he shared his experience with CareTracker EHR and his insights on how his colleagues can take full advantage of the incentives available through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which provides for over $19 billion in reimbursements for physician offices who implement EHRs and demonstrate meaningful use.
Ingenix was there to capture his remarks and hear why he believes the temporary nature of ARRA funding means that now is the time for his colleagues to get on board with EHR technology.
Ingenix CareTracker EHR is a simple, affordable Web-based electronic health records solution that can be integrated with all the operational functions of medical practice. With electronic health records, pulling charts, approving refill requests, and signing lab results are a just click away. This simplicity strengthens the patient-physician experience, improves quality and reduces costs.
Unlike traditional client-server-based EHRs, which require large up-front investments in hardware, software and implementation fees, Ingenix CareTracker EHR offers a low-cost alternative without sacrificing functionality, security or physician productivity. Physicians access Ingenix CareTracker EHR through a secure Web interface, which connects their practice to a network of labs, partner physicians and hospitals. It is simple to deploy and use with a pay-as-you-go monthly subscription fee. For as little as $5,000 per year, a single-physician practice can start using Ingenix CareTracker EHR with just four hours of physician training and six hours of office manager training.
Using a Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT)-certified EHR, such as Ingenix CareTracker EHR, will likely help physicians qualify for the highest level of Medicare reimbursement incentives outlined in the HITECH Act, a part of the stimulus package. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is expected to release EHR standards at the end of 2009.
