AMA pilot-tests web services for doctors

The American Medical Association is pilot-testing what could turn out to be a hefty portfolio of web services to doctors, including electronic prescribing capabilities, reference databases and access to online continuing medical education. To build the services, the AMA is working with the Detroit-based healthcare IT platform provider Covisint.

The idea behind the new portal is to let participating doctors sign on once to the AMA system, then use any number of the AMA's web-based applications, Covisint managers said.

The new offering follows, and arguably enhances, the association's launch of Sermo online service late last year, which offers access only to doctors, and provides some CME options. One is left to wonder, however, if the AMA has concluded that Sermo alone isn't really meeting doctors' needs, given that it's having to spend a bundle to build a new platform for these added applications. Guess it remains to be seen how the two options will fit together.

To learn more about this project:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece (reg. req.)

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