Why EHR is the Dinosaur in the Room for Pediatricians?

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Pediatricians, it is reported are the most reluctant to take the ehr leap. A recent study conducted by the Seattle Children’s Hospital and APA, throws light into a subject that is often underreported.

According to the researchers pediatricians are a good one to two years behind physicians from other specialties, when it came to ehr adoption and use.

“I cannot Afford it”

Low pay checks, heavy Medicaid cuts, and ehrs that don’t cater to the specific needs of pediatric practices are backing pediatricians into a corner. The financial pressures that pediatric practices face can make pediatricians an endangered species in the near future.

Pediatricians have always been underpaid. There is a huge reimbursement difference when it comes to paying for treatment rendered to children and adults. And to add another log to the fire, pediatricians gain very little ancillary revenue. 56% of physicians surveyed, cited lack of money, the major reason for putting off ehr adoption.

The Pediatrician EHR wish list !

What are the features that can make pediatricians invest those big dollars into an ehr? Most of them feel that the majority of ehrs available in the market offer just straight out of the can templates and nothing much.

The needs of a pediatrician are more specific and distinct than other specialties. Most pediatricians would love to have features such as growth charts, immunization administration templates and an information sheet for vaccine information.

But how many ehrs really do provide the features that can make work easy for pediatricians, is a huge looming question.

A way to bring in the Sunshine Again !

The healthcare industry is changing for the better. And it is important that pediatricians are a part of the change. To join the race pediatricians will have to re-engineer their revenue cycle and make a collective demand for more pediatric specific ehrs.

To, identify where they lose money and explore avenues and opportunities to increase reimbursement, is now more important than ever.