Re: Optimis PT - Who's using it?

[Guest guest]

Physical therapy practices considering EMR purchase with large up-front costs

should consider the new " free " EMR products on the market:

http://www.practicefusion.com

http://www.oemr.org/

http://mitochonsystems.com/

http://www.freedommd.com/

Bear in mind two major caveats: First, many costs in implementing a new EMR are

due to changes in clinician workflow, short-run decreases in productivity,

administrative burden and programming fixes or upgrades.

Those costs are not " free " - they exist with any EMR.

Second, the perceived advantages of an EMR solution are as follows:

1) reducing the rate of adverse medical events

2) improved communication among disparate providers

3) interoperability among various EMRs

4) improving storage of important patient information now trapped in " silos "

Almost NONE of these benefits pertain to or depend on physical therapist

participation during Stage 1 implementation of EMRs. Therefore, physical

therapists are not eligible for HITECH incentive reimbursement of up to $44,000

over five years for providers participating in Medicare or $63,750 for providers

participating in Medicaid.

I purchased my second and current EMR about three years ago and it does the job.

Contact me privately if you want the name. I don't use OPTIMAL PT and I don't

know anything about OPTIMAL PT so I'm not qualified to tell you whether it's

good or bad.

What I can tell you is that there are many, many more options now than there

were three years ago.

What I can also tell you is that the " client-server " model where you pay big

bucks up front for EMR software with annual maintenance fees, is much less

common now than it was. Perhaps the client-server model is dying.

Also, expect hospitals and large physician organizations to come knocking at

your door some day - asking YOU if THEY can install an EMR for you.

To qualify for Stage 2 (2013) and Stage 3 (2015) Meaningful Use criteria these

organizations will not only have to report quality data but they will have to

show advanced clinical processes (Stage 2) and improved outcomes (Stage 3).

They will want your data. All you have to do is let them install THEIR EMR.

According to Vince Kuraitis JD, MBA...

" The current generation of EMRs (electronic medical records) were designed

primarily to assist care providers with clinical documentation, billing, and

maximizing revenues.

They were not designed to enable care coordination and optimize population

health. "

I'm not sure NOW is the time to invest heavily in current generation EMRs.

Maybe FREE is not for you but I would hold off new purchases and investigate

less expensive options.

Tim , PT

www.PhysicalTherapyDiagnosis.com

>

> Hi,

>  

> We are looking into different billing/ scheduling systems.  As we are starting

to do demos with different groups, we are seeing the need to do a fully

integrated system that also includes the documentation.  Yesterday, we did a

demo with Optimis PT.  I was impressed with their product, although they don't

have a functioning billing system YET. 

>  

> So, I'd like to ask those of you that are using Optimis PT what your thoughts

are about their system?  Positive and negative comments appreciated.  Also, how

long did it take you and your employees to get up and running with this system.

>  

> If you have other products that you would highly recommend, I'd be open to

checking them out too.  If we do the documentation system, we need to have

something that is highly adaptable. 

>  

> Feel free to email directly if you would like.  Thanks so much for this

valuable listserv. 

>  

> Sincerely,

> Westerberg, PT/ owner

> CORE Strategies Physical Therapy

> Overland Park, KS

> jennifer@...

>

>