subject: Free Emr- Is There Such A Thing As A Free Lunch? [print this page] When physicians have the option of availing a free EMR software, why would they want to go for paid EMRs? Free always sounds better than paying for something surely! If its that straightforward, then the obvious conclusion would be that all physicians in general would opt for the free EMR option rather than paying for it.
However, if we analyze the fine print well observe that in reality that isnt the case. A large majority of clinicians are still in favor of paid EMR applications. Lets dig a little deeper and evaluate the pros and cons of adopting a free EMR.
Today, we see a huge array of EMR vendors offering a variety of different augmented products with several dedicated modules integrated together, which cater to an assortment of needs for clinicians of all specialties. The health IT industry wasnt like this from day one; a lot of time, money and effort have gone into the development and implementation of this software by EMR vendors. Barely two decades back, EMR vendors were splurging millions of dollars into developing the most basic software and commercialized EMR, which at that time was still just a notion. The result of this process is what we see in EMR technology today; they are far more adaptable now; allowing physicians to make use of reporting formats customized to their specific requirements.
Any vendor spending exorbitant amounts into the development of EMRs would naturally expect a monetary return on their commodity, specifically when they are providing a superior product. That being said, fresh opportunities have cropped up in the shape of adverts and marketing of de-identified health records. Several EMR vendors have ventured into the realm of free EMRs and have acquired a significant client base. With these companies, we can observe that more often than not, after experiencing the primal features of free EMRs, a large number of clinicians have reverted back to paid EMR systems due to the value they provide.
Most EMR vendors nowadays offer their software integrated with practice management modules, which significantly facilitates clinical and administrative tasks, eliminates human errors and ensures quicker revenue cycles for practitioners. Coming down to brass tacks, these are the benefits which free EMRs simply cannot offer. Frank Quinn, a health IT consultant believes that, Its much more sensible to see more basic free EMRs with expenses for auxiliary add-ons and improvements. I would agree with Mr. Quinn on this idea and one can expect such types of free EMRs to be predominant in the future.
