Editor's Corner: Don't underestimate small practices

Here at FierceMarkets, we're a relatively small company, but we're pretty capable. Like those who work in smaller medical practices, we get more done before 9 a.m. than most companies do all day--even though we don't get to spend big bucks doing it.

That, in part, is why I'm not at all surprised by a new study which suggests that small practices can indeed step up and implement advanced health IT systems. If it's a business necessity, and makes sense for the practice's operations, you can bet that many will find solutions that rival the big projects at say, the Cleveland Clinic, in smarts and practicality.

Much of the coverage of EMRs has implied, or said outright, that the poor little smaller practices were, in essence, not smart enough to make high-level IT work for them. Sure, they've also conceded that EMRs are expensive and are seen as something of a boondoggle by many practice leaders, but there's been this hint of condescension over their refusal to buy them anyway. (You poor hicks in local medicine!)

Oh, don't misunderstand me, I'm not suggest that some small practices won't waffle IT implementations badly. But hey, IT folks reading this, how many big institutions completely miss the mark with their health IT investments? Nobody keeps count of such things, but I'm sure you'll agree the answer is "a lot."

The bottom line, in my opinion, is that opinion leaders in health IT have to stop underestimating the smaller practices they need to reach to make their visions. If practices could implement your technology, and they don't, maybe they're just not sold. And maybe there's a good reason for that. - Anne

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