Electronic Medical Records: Oncology Practices Take the Plunge

Extract

After years of watching and waiting many oncology practices are finally jumping on the electronic medical record (EMR) bandwagon, spurred on in part by the prospect of $36 billion in federal stimulus package incentives. Some are longtime holdouts, some are trying again after abandoning cumbersome systems that didn’t work, and some are realizing that electronic record keeping is both inevitable and, in the long run, could provide benefits to patients and caregivers. The incentives, available as extra Medicare or Medicaid payments, will be available from 2011 through 2014 to practices that convert to EMR systems. Starting in 2015, practices not using EMRs will pay a penalty in reduced payments.

“I would say that most practices have either implemented some components of an EMR or are evaluating systems and intending to by next year,” said Nancy Payne, executive director of the Florida Institute of Research, Medicine, and Surgery, Orlando, Fla., and president of the Administrators in Oncology/Hematology Assembly. “My practice has been using some components of an EMR but will be fully on EMR by the end of this year.”