Wal-Mart will market electronic medical records system
You know something's a commodity when the big W gets involved--so I guess EMRs have officially arrived. Wal-Mart Stores has set its sights on the scorching hot market for electronic health records, focusing on the small medical practices which have proven unwilling to invest in higher-end systems.
Hoping, no doubt, to capture some of the $19 billion in health IT stimulus dollars, Wal-Mart will team with Dell and EMR maker eClinicalWorks to offer a turnkey package including hardware, software, installation, maintenance and product training.
This package should be far more affordable than many other EMR offerings, undercutting some rivals by as much as 50 percent. The EMR system, offered through Sam's Club, will be under $25,000 for the first physician in a practice, and about $10,000 for each additional doctor. Maintenance should cost $4,000 to $6,500 a year.
Wal-Mart has been testing the technology in the 30 retail clinics it operates in eight states.
To learn more about the new EMR system:
- read this piece in The New York Times
Related Articles:
California MDs lead in EMR adoption
Congress holds key to EMR adoption
HIMSS report: $25 billion stimulus needed to help speed EMR adoption
Comments
By Harry | Posted 10:28am | March 16, 2009
Its not going to fly because there is no one local to provide ongoing support, training, and hand holding. EMR Software is not "Off the shelf" software like MS Office that almost everyone know - EMR software effects the workflow of the practice which could come to a grinding HALT if not implemented correctly or wisely.
A better approach is for doctors to deal with a local emr software dealer\vendor who can give guidance, local support, training, and can be there when they go "live".
Harry
www.medicalcharting.com
By Jeremy Engdahl-Johnson | Posted 11:14am | March 16, 2009
Wal-Mart announced that it would market electronic record systems to small physician practices, a group that has not adopted these systems as widely as integrated payer and provider groups such as the Veterans Administration and Group Health.
This is not the first time Wal-Mart has provided a low-cost alternative in healthcare. Milliman principal and consulting actuary William Pollock recently published research about the market-changing success of Wal-Mart’s $4 generic prescription drug offering.
At www.healthcaretownhall.com
By anonymous | Posted 1:01pm | March 17, 2009
Why isn't eCliniclWorks finding success selling EMRs today? These are the same reasons the Wal Mart repackaging will fail: cost versus benefits, for the clinician. Where are the benefits?
By IO Practiceware | Posted 4:26pm | March 17, 2009
IO posted a response to this on their blog:
iopracticeware.blogspot.com/
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