It just absolutely amazes me how many companies are coming out with brand new EMR software and trying to compete with all the various EMR vendors out there. Obviously, that’s a very good thing for me, but it seems like every day a new EMR vendor whom I’ve never heard of is launching a new EMR software.
What’s amazing is that each company is taking their own little angle on the market. It kind of goes back to my assertion that there isn’t 1 EMR market, but 50 EMR markets. Plus, with only 15% adoption (or choose your favorite adoption number) we’re just at the beginning of the competition.
Just to illustrate my point, here’s a press release I just got in my email talking about a worksite health center EMR (see below). It’s really interesting the creative ways that EHR vendors are trying to market their software. Plus, there’s a whole group of EMR vendors who have create a software and don’t have any clue how to market their product.
Fort Wayne, Ind. – May 11, 2010 – Concentra, a leading provider of employer health care services, announced today that it will utilize Medical Informatics Engineering (MIE) to bring electronic health records (EHR) and employee health portal services to Concentra clients through its worksite health centers. As more companies seek ways to control rising health care costs and improve the health and wellness of their employees, workplace health care centers with advanced health information systems are becoming an increasingly popular choice.
Concentra has expanded its workplace service offerings to include primary care services, wellness programs and personal coaching, and MIE’s WebChart Enterprise Health EHR system, providing a comprehensive health care solution directly to employees. To date, the advanced information technology system has been implemented at five Concentra worksite locations, with more slated for implementation throughout 2010. WebChart offers a flexible suite of health information products that Concentra uses to support its innovative service delivery model, allowing for each implementation to accommodate the specific needs of each client.
“MIE stood out from other EHR vendors due to their extensive experience in and first-hand knowledge of the occupational and primary health care IT space,” said Concentra Senior Vice President of Medical Operations Bill Lewis, M.D. “MIE’s Web-based, Software as a Service (SaaS) EHR model allows for integration with other employer and employee health systems, and is easily customized to meet the needs of our clients, in a wide range of industries and backgrounds.”
Through MIE’s WebChart Enterprise EHR, Concentra clients can give their employees access to send health information to the worksite health center prior to a visit. Employees can also schedule visits online, review lab results online, answer health-related questionnaires, and report work-related injuries and illnesses. Medical information documented in the EHR during a clinical encounter can then be synced to the employee’s portal page, or shared with a personal health record (PHR) solution like Google Health, Microsoft HealthVault, or NoMoreClipboard.com.
“MIE’s versatile EHR module provides a user-friendly interface for a diverse group of employer stakeholders, including employees, supervisors, and health care providers, leading to improved productivity and communication between all parties,” added Lewis.
“Medical Informatics Engineering is honored to work with an organization like Concentra that is dedicated to improving the health of America’s employees and reducing the cost of health care for employers,” said Peter Norder, Executive Vice President of MIE. “Concentra’s impressive focus on streamlining the delivery of health care and measuring the benefits of improved patient care, through more than 250 workplace health clinics in the U.S., lines up exceptionally well with MIE’s mission to put employers and employees at the center of their own health care.”
By implementing advanced information systems, caring for employees, and delivering outcomes-based clinical practices, Concentra has become the leading provider of worksite employee health services for employers in dozens of different industries. With more than 250 worksite medical clinics and 300 national medical centers, Concentra serves more than 100,000 employers across the nation and treats more than 25,000 patients each day.
For more information, please visit www.concentra.com and/or www.mieweb.com.
