This is in reference to Melissa Heyboer’s article, “The $44,000 question,” which appeared in Issue 13, 2010. The following is Mark Firmin’s responses in their entirety.

Question 1: How will this affect the chiropractic office? i.e., do you think this program is beneficial?

A: Computers have brought dramatic increases in the ability to deliver medical services and HiTech is an extension of that. The ability to communicate with practitioners and resources in other offices means faster, more accurate exchange of information, which should result in better patient care and more successful practices.

The introduction of electronic records will bring efficiencies and cost saving opportunities that have been in place in general business environments for years. Elimination of paperwork and the processes used to generate it should dramatically enhance productivity in the front office as well as give doctors faster, easier access to vital clinical patient information, both internally and externally generated.

I think it is safe to say that whether they are involved with Medicare patients or not, clinics that do not move to electronic records ultimately will disappear, simply because they will no longer be keeping pace with their profession. 

Question 2: What do chiropractor’s need to take advantage of this incentive? How much will it cost, as far as time and money, to implement?

A: Chiropractors must use a certified Electronic Health Records (EHR) solution, manage Medicare payments, and complete an application for the incentive with CMS.

An Electronic Health Records (EHR) solution must be certified by a testing agency that has itself been accredited by the government.  We understand that two such entities are in the review process at this time. We expect these testing agencies to begin testing and certifying EHR solutions in the late summer/early fall.  ACOM Health guarantees it’s RAPID software will be certified.

Time to implement will vary between four and twelve weeks depending on the individual practice.   A Chiropractor should plan time for product evaluation and selection, configuration and implementation and training to arrive at a comfort level. The dollar amount of the purchase will vary with the product itself, but most vendors offer an extended payment plan. In the ACOM Health program, for example, there is no interest charge; every doctor qualifies and we stretch the payments out over 48 months. Depending on a Doctor’s annual Medicare collections, , the incentives can cover the full cost of the solution.