In the current transitional scenario where the US healthcare industry is moving from fee-for-service to value-based payment, healthcare providers need novel strategies to optimize the flow of data and dollars running through their enterprise. They also need a partner they can rely on to provide them a solutions infrastructure that is unique to their practice at a time when the delivery of healthcare is becoming less so, almost across the board.
MedInformatix was formed almost 30 years ago out of the simple mission to leverage technology to make medical practices and the delivery of healthcare more efficient. The founders combined their healthcare management and automated billing expertise to create an innovative solution where practices could better manage the data flow through their enterprise while at the same time improving their cash flows and profit margins.
Their flagship Radiology Information System (RIS) is helping transform the delivery of radiology in practices of all sizes; and their Enterprise Practice Management (EPM) and Electronic Health Records (EHR) solutions are at work in cardiology, pediatric, psychiatry, ophthalmology, OB/GYN and other specialty practices, clinics, and hospitals across the country. From its earliest days, MedInformatix made it a part of their mission to build a solid foundation of trust among their early client base, and that mission continues to this day.
A Partnership from the Start
“We treat our customers like they are family,” says MedInformatix President and CEO Pat McGonigle. “From the minute they sign on with us, we begin a collaborative relationship that is equally two-way. As the scale and needs of their practice grow, so too must the functionality of their EHR. We are here for them when they need us,” adds McGonigle.
Indeed, MedInformatix is fortunate to have a very active and engaged customer community, as well as the framework that encourages their engagement. They were one of the first in the industry to launch a Client Advisory Board initiative, launching Radiology and Ambulatory chapters to advise MedInformatix leadership and product development teams on customer service initiatives, opportunities for new product enhancements and other client-facing matters. The board’s deliberations are customer-driven, not corporate-driven, so the only interests served are those of the customer community.
Fairfax Radiology, the largest private radiology practice in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, became a MedInformatix customer five years ago after an extensive industry wide search for a new radiology information system. Rick Arnold, chief information officer at Fairfax and president of the MedInformatix radiology client advisory board says the relationship his practice has with MedInformatix has been a real partnership. “Their desire to learn about the needs of their clients and to take that knowledge and include it in their technology platform as we face the ever challenging and changing landscape in healthcare has never before been seen in Radiology,” says Rick Arnold, Chief Information Officer at Fairfax.
A New Role: Industry Advocate
More recently, MedInformatix has taken on another client-facing role that of industry advocate. Executives routinely travel to Washington where they engaged with officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), both divisions within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Here, they gather information and share input on important issues related to MACRA and the Quality Payment Program that are impacting MedInformatix clients and the larger electronic health records and practice management marketplace.
And MedInformatix also took part in deliberations to improve interoperability and usability while participating in the 2017 ONC Annual Meeting. ONC is at the forefront of the federal government’s health IT efforts and is a resource to the entire health system, supporting the adoption of health information technology and the promotion of a nationwide health information exchange to improve healthcare.
“Anytime we can get in front of industry regulators and decision-makers it benefits our clients and the EHR industry as a whole,” added McGonigle. “As a technology company we have an important role to play in shaping the future of healthcare and our involvement and presence in regulatory and other healthcare matters emanating from Washington is something we take seriously and are proud to be a part of.”
Tomorrow’s Healthcare Information Technology Today
As healthcare continues to evolve in this country, so too must healthcare technology. This evolution undoubtedly brings challenges. Some are unique to certain practices and others are more industry wide, such as the changing landscape in healthcare delivery and the regulatory environment in which practices, regardless of their size or specialty, must adhere.
Today, MedInformatix continues to forge new ground, staying true to their mission of 30 years ago. They recently launched The EHR Revitalization Project, an initiative designed to pump a new energy and expectation into today’s EHR. The project is just getting off the ground but it’s an exciting development that should continue to engage the industry moving forward. And if the future is anything like the past, MedInformatix clients will be front and center every step of the way.
