AmericanEHR Partners Program introduced to help medical practitioners compare EHR systems

AmericanEHR Partners Program announced by ACP and Cientis Technologies

A collaboration developing a new Web site to help medical practitioners compare electronic health records (EHR) systems was announced today by its founding partners, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and Cientis Technologies. The free, web-based resource, the AmericanEHR Partners Program, will help healthcare professionals compare, evaluate, select and learn how to use certified EHR systems effectively.

"The objective of AmericanEHR Partners is to provide a credible, easy-to-use national resource for physicians who are selecting, implementing or using an EHR," said Dr. Alan Brookstone, CEO, Cientis Technologies.

"ACP is excited to provide the medical community with this new, unbiased resource on EHRs," said ACP President Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP.

Other professional associations joining the effort are:

• American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), a health care information management organization

Medical Groups:

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
• American Osteopathic Association of Medical Informatics (AOAMI)
• Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA)
• Renal Physicians Association (RPA)
• Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM)

In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act --HITECH Act -- (part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) established criteria for Medicare and Medicaid participating physicians to receive financial incentives for using EHRs in a meaningful manner. Implementation of certified EHR technology will enable physician practices to take advantage of Federal Stimulus funding of up to $44,000 in additional Medicare payments between 2011 and 2015.

As healthcare professionals plan to adopt healthcare information technology (Health IT) and receive funds, they will be faced with a range of certified EHR solutions. AmericanEHR Partners will simplify Health IT adoption by allowing healthcare professionals to:

• Evaluate readiness to adopt an EHR and provide a list of recommended resources to help with deficiencies;
• View comprehensive EHR user ratings on different solutions (ratings will be based on surveys of physicians conducted through their professional societies);
• Sort EHR solutions based on medical subspecialty and functionality; and
• Provide side-by-side comparisons of EHR systems.

AmericanEHR Partners also is collaborating with the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT-) to provide up-to-date information on health IT to the medical community. "CCHIT is eager to work with the AmericanEHR Partners to share results on CCHIT certifications, including medical specialty certifications and usability ratings," said CCHIT Executive Director Alisa Ray.

AmericanEHR Partners is open to all EHR vendors with nationally-recognized certification. EHR vendors currently planning to participate in the program are:

• ABEL Medical Software Inc.
• Allscripts
• athenahealth
• e-Clinicalworks
• e-MDs
• Greenway Medical Technologies, Inc.
• iSALUS Healthcare
• NextGen Healthcare
• Pulse
• Sequel Systems
• SuiteMed

Once practices have determined a short list of vendors, registered users of AmericanEHR Partners will be able to submit a request for information to EHR vendors identified directly though the site. The site will provide an array of educational content provided though newsletters, podcasts, webinars, blogs, and more. The educational material will be developed for healthcare professionals in all stages of health IT adoption, including those looking to optimize existing systems.

The AmericanEHR Partners strives to provide unbiased information about the vendors -- and their products -- that participate in the program. The program will not endorse any EHR products, services or systems.

AmericanEHR Partners plans to launch in the second quarter of 2010.