My previous post about imagining an EMR that didn’t include billing certainly has driven a lot of conversation. Actually, that was the purpose of the post. I indulge in great conversation with multiple perspectives. It’s the beauty of blogging and of life.

However, please don’t let that post confuse you. Billing is an absolute essential part of an EMR software. There’s a very good reason why most EMR software out there amounts to little more than a big billing machine. The demand for healthcare software was initially to solve the challenges associated with medical billing. Markets are great at satisfying demands and that’s why the EMR software is the way it is today.

This means that EMR vendors CANNOT ignore billing. Rightfully so, doctors want to get paid for their work.

Of course, the point of the previous post was to try and expand the conversation beyond billing. Basically, the goal was to try and imagine an EMR software world where patient care was the focus instead of billing. What kind of good could we accomplish if this was our goal?

This follow up post was prompted by this somewhat disturbing email I received:
“I have built just such an EMR product for the iPhone and iPad. I am struggling with financing it because everybody wants billing. They really don’t care about the quality of the EMR.”

I’d make one qualification. No one cares about the quality of the EMR, if you don’t satisfy their billing needs too. Reminds me of HIPAA. No one would purchase an EMR that didn’t meet the HIPAA standards. However, once they hear it meets those standards, they move on to other things like the quality of the EMR.