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Re: anyone interested in electronic medical record Mar 21, 2008 7:03 PM
Welcome to the community. My firm implemented a couple of these systems in the late-90s (using another vendor's software with our business integration/implementation methodology). As far as EMR solutions, I figured that most large health care providers were "in" by this point. The holdouts, from my perspective, would be small offices -- and the main reason is legitimate enough: COST.
The challenge you face as a product developer in this arena is that the software purchase or license fee is only the tip of the iceberg -- the necessary equipment, personnel training, record conversion, and the development and institutionalization of new protocols and procedures is 90 to 95 percent of the implementation cost (buying the software is the cheap and easy part). The small office just doesn't have the time or staff to commit to all that -- yet if they don't commit to it, the solution will fail, very serious problems will arise, and it will be your fault (in their minds).
If I was going after that small office market today, I don't think I'd develop a new product. Instead, I'd find a good basic existing product with open source code from a software developer with a VAR program -- and I'd make the focus of my business customizing, integrating, and implementing that product for a specific niche clientele (a particular type of office or practice, so the enhancements made and lessons learned could be applied to each subsequent client, while generating residual income from previous clients).
I could be wrong, but that seems like a far more promising business model for an entrepreneur. Again, welcome to the group and best wishes!
