DrChrono and Sermo, what are you thinking?
Free, mobile ambulatory EHR developer DrChrono made a minor ripple of news this week, claiming to be the first vendor to release an EHR for the new Apple iOS 7. But that’s not why I’m writing this post. I’m calling out DrChrono co-founder and COO Daniel Kivatinos for this tweet:
What is the HITECH Act and How Do You Cash In? http://t.co/Q8exLnxFIl #ehr #emr #mhealth #care #healthit #health2con #medicalrecords
— daniel kivatinos (@danielkivatinos) September 18, 2013
I was quick to respond on Twitter.
It isn’t about “cashing in” #ptsafety RT @danielkivatinos: What is the HITECH Act and How Do You Cash In? http://t.co/XujciFhb93 #ehr #emr
— Neil Versel (@nversel) September 18, 2013
Indeed, the HITECH Act and Meaningful Use are about the Triple Aim of producing safer care, improving population health and lowering overall healthcare costs. The incentive money isn’t supposed to make physicians rich or even cover the cost of the typical EHR. (Yes, “free” EHRs have costs in terms of changing physician workflows and interfacing with practice management systems, and the advertising may cause patients to lose trust in their doctors, as John Lynn seems to have found with Practice Fusion.) Frankly, I don’t want to go to a doctor who views Meaningful Use as “cashing in.” That’s not “meaningful” in the spirit of the incentive program.
I’m making a big deal out of this because this is not the first time DrChrono has made misleading and hyperbolic statements. As I wrote a couple years ago, the company claimed its patient check-in app was “groundbreaking,” despite a lot of evidence to the contrary. The same post also had a video from DrChrono in which the vendor explained to physicians how they could qualify for Meaningful Use “tax breaks.” The incentive payments aren’t tax breaks. In fact, the money counts as taxable income.
The video is still up on YouTube, and it’s been viewed more than 57,000 times. That’s 57,000 times people have heard a patently false statement. DrChrono, stop misleading clients or you won’t have any clients left to mislead.
Also from the “what were they thinking?” department, physician social network Sermo marked the start of the NFL season this month with the launch of the “Pro Football Injury Challenge.” I know this because I received this e-mail:
Yes, I know I’m not a doctor. Sermo sent a follow-up a few days later saying that I received the invitation in error. But actual physicians still are competing against each other in kind of a fantasy football injury pool. Do you find this as tasteless as I do?
Thank you Neil for calling out, in no uncertain terms, the misbegotten marketers at both of these companies for going WAY over the line in their claims and promotion. As a marketer and communicator, there IS a line of appropriateness, especially (but certainly not only) when you’re speaking with professionals. Sounds like the adults (chronological and mental) weren’t in the room for either one. We who write about the field have a responsibility to call out these companies for their lapses. Neil, trust me I will on my small platform and cite you on it next week.
As you know, I’ve written extensively about TBI, concussions and the long term effects of sub-concussive head injuries (CTE) where technology could help in the diagnosis and coping treatments areas. Gee, will Sermo tote up brain injuries too? It is one thing to track, analyze and discuss injury and its consequences in a social setting–and football can be a key–it is another thing to make a game of the pain, suffering and career destruction of others among those who ostensibly are dedicated to preventing and mitigating same.
I could see it being cooked up by some digital marketer and everyone thinking it’s just so trendy and cute.
Neil – Thanks very much for highlighting the important issue of some rather questionable business practices undertaken by the “free” EHR vendors. I think this story is of growing importance for the public, especially as more and more patients become aware of the Google-search based adverts that pop up in their medical records. On a personal note, if any healthcare provider of mine was found to be using one of these ad-supported EHRs, I would walk out the door and never go back!
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I agree, thanks for calling DrChrono out on that tweet. HITECH is most definitely not about cashing in on the trend.
As for NancyFabozzi’s note about leaving a practice that was using an ad-supported EHR, I may not walk right out but I would definitely be more cautious. While I understand the programs save a huge amount of money, I’d be really concerned that my employer put thought into the functionality as well as the cost.
Hi Neil,
Thanks for the feedback.
We just changed the main video on the homepage based on your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best healthcare experience for patients and for doctors.
Let me know if I can help out in any other ways to improve drchrono.
Daniel, cofounder drchrono