Are Canada’s EMR Policies Causing a Backlash?
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May 30, 2011 9:00 AM
At CanadianEMR, we receive information and feedback from many sources: physicians who submit EMR ratings, users’ comments on the CanadianEMR blog, communications from media and industry representatives, feedback from practice managers and administrative staff. As a result of all of this feedback, we function to some degree as an early warning system. Even if comments are not explicit, it is possible to draw conclusions from overall feedback.
Recently, a number of physicians from across Canada have shared similar concerns (some users and some who are not yet using EMRs). I have great respect for these individuals, they are excellent clinicians, and those with EMRs have worked very hard to integrate the systems into their practices. However, many of these individuals have expressed frustration regarding the functionality of their current EMRs and the inability of their vendors to focus upon usability issues. Some of these individuals have described the issues as support problems; however, delving deeper it is clear that the challenges are more an inability of vendors to enhance features and functions, for example problems with prescribing and medication management or workflow within the EMR. These are described as support issues, but they reflect an inability or lack of vendor capacity to enhance their products. A single vendor could simply indicate a business problem with that company. However, these issues are related to multiple vendors in multiple provinces and all are provincially certified EMR systems.
It is challenging for any EMR vendor to sell their product in multiple provinces in Canada. The requirement to support different provincially certified versions and keep those systems in conformance is costly and very resource intensive. Vendors are faced with a dilemma. With the majority of resources expended on meeting and maintaining provincial certification requirements, there is little remaining for product enhancements.
In a free and open market, if a consumer is dissatisfied with a product or service, it is within their right to change to another supplier. This is how market dominance is won and lost.
The conclusion reached by these individuals is to look for options outside of the provincially certified EMR systems. Some are looking at Open Source systems. Whether their usability questions could be answered by a different solution will have to be individually decided. However, the irony of this situation is that in an attempt to create greater stability, the provincial certification programs may be feeding a groundswell movement towards EMR systems that do not have to meet provincial certification.
What is your experience? Do you agree with these observations or not? Add your thoughts by clicking on the “Comments” link below. (Vendors and non-physicians are encouraged to participate in this discussion. - Ed)
Originally posted on Canadian EMR
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