Purchasing an electronic medical record (EMR) system is a daunting task, as there are many software vendors who cater to this niche industry. That’s why it’s essential for you to know what kind of functional requirements your practice or hospital will require to run your daily operational needs. Read the rest of this entry »

Customer support agents (CSAs) are the first line of support for the client when a problem arises. If a level-1 CSA has tried all introductory problem-solving skills, has referred to the company knowledge base (KB) for a possible solution, and is still unable to resolve the problem, the incident ticket is escalated to second level (L2) support, where CSAs have advanced training and more knowledge on how to resolve the issue. If the problem is software-related, the CSA at this level can guide the user on how to fix the problem. If the client is not computer savvy, the CSA can remote into the client’s workstation, and by taking control of the client’s machine, can resolve the problem more efficiently. Now if the problem is hardware-related, the ticket must be sent to third level (L3) support. This is when an on-site technician must go to the client site and physically change hardware parts or peripherals in order to close out the ticket.

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I’m writing today from the HIMSS convention in Orlando, Florida, where I’m looking to see what new technologies are available to the health care industry to facilitate patient care and communication between patients and doctors.A few interesting presentations of note thus far:

• Enjoyable EHR interfaces: Improved quality, cost and acceptance through user-friendly EHR interface hosted by Paul Schadler, MD, Co-Medical Director Health Center
• Planning, Realizing and Measuring EMR Benefits: Lessons from Early Adopters, hosted by Patricia Johnston VP Texas Health Resources (THR) Information Services, and Douglas Thompson, Director FCG
• Painful but Necessary EMR: an Enterprise-wide Shot in the arm for Standardization, hosted by Holly Miller Information Officer University and Lynne King EHR Project Director

Today I’d like to discuss guidelines to follow before selecting an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. Read the rest of this entry »