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Resources : Information Systems (EHR/EMR)

ONLINE RESOURCES

» AAFP's Center for Health Information Technology includes case studies of successful implementations, a forum for sharing user reviews of EHR systems. AAFP members can take an interactive EHR Readiness Assessment by logging in here: http://www.centerforhit.org/login

ONLINE PUBLICATIONS

» The Value of Electronic Health Records in Solo or Small Group Practices
Robert H. Miller, Ph.D., Christopher West, Tiffany Martin Brown et al., Health Affairs, September/October 2005, 24 (5): 1127–37

Miller and his team studied 14 solo or small primary care practices that had used EHRs for one to three years, finding that for small group practices with EHRs, the initial costs averaged "$44,000 per physician (or nurse practitioner), with ongoing costs averaging $8,400 per physician per year." The researcher team estimates that the average practice would "cover its costs in under three years and, after that, profit considerably. Still, most physician offices spend more time at work initially. And some practices faced substantial financial risks, including long payback periods, billing problems, and data loss."

» Achieving tangible IT benefits in small physician practices
First Consulting Group. California Health Foundation; 2002.

The small and solo practice-focused case studies in this PDF report are accompanied by a valuable (if perhaps dated) guide to finding, selecting and implementing the right product for your practice. Product integration, long-term practice planning workflow and budgeting are also considered. Taken together, this report can serve as a mini-guide for the small physician practice seeking an EHR solution.

» Why It's Time to Purchase an Electronic Health Record System
Kenneth G. Adler, MD, MMM. Family Practice Management. 2004 Nov-Dec;11(10):43-6.

This overview of the benefits and the challenges of an EHR includes a link to a handy Excel "Quick Five Year Cost/Benefit Worksheet".