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Sometimes a phone call just isn't enough. Try explaining the features and functions of HIT without a visual aid. Then ask your listener to sign on the dotted line. With patients' well-being and incentive payments on the line, it's no wonder some providers prefer to look before they leap.
Eager to get clients on track, HIT vendors are trading the office for an auto to give providers and consumers more than just a talking-to about the benefits of technology. For these suppliers, mobile marketing's the way to go-and we're not talking about cell phones.
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| The EHR Stimulus Alliance set a goal to educate 500,000 physicians through Webinars and stops on the EHR Stimulus Tour. |
A Team Approach
Stimulus funds may open the door to EHRs, but many physicians aren't ready to cross the threshold. So the EHR Stimulus Tour rolled out with some much-needed assistance. Sponsored by the EHR Stimulus Alliance, a group of eight software and technology companies, the tour aims to educate 500,000 about EHR incentives in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and, more importantly, how to get them.
"There are very few things we can invest in that not only give us an economic return on investment, but an investment we know will save lives," said Glen Tullman, CEO, Allscripts. "That's the bottom line."
Tullman pointed to the oft-quoted Institute of Medicine report that found 100,000 die from medical errors every year. EHRs have been hailed as a way to curb such mistakes. "If ever there were an issue to get passionate about, it's saving people's lives," Tullman said. That's why the Alliance hit the road.
The tour poster boasts a sleek black bus with "EHR Stimulus Tour" emblazoned on the side. There's no actual vehicle, but the image gets the Alliance's mobile message across.
Want to know what goes down at an EHR Stimulus Tour stop? Click here for our video coverage!
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After 13 stops, the tour is already touting success. Marketing efforts have reached more than 50,000 physicians in the tour regions. Coupled with Webcasts and direct mail, the number jumps to 250,000, according to Tullman. "People want to be educated about this stuff, and they have been both supportive and excited about the efforts," he said.
It's not clear whether the Alliance will extend the tour beyond its scheduled dates. It will be a group decision after the tour wraps in Las Vegas in September, but it's likely to continue, Tullman indicated. "Usually, when you have something that's working, people tend to say let's keep doing it," he said.
Even with success, the tour is more a dose of reality than a cure-all for health care. "This education effort is not the answer, but it's part of the answer," Tullman said.
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| Medsphere's photo went viral with the message that EHRs don't need to be expensive. |
The "Open" Road
Like the Wienermobile did for Oscar Mayer, Medsphere Systems Corp. hopes "Stimulus One" becomes a statement symbol for the company. The tricked-out 1970s Volkswagon van is an analogy for open source technology, an alternative approach that, unlike proprietary systems, lets users download software for free. With a few tweaks and enhancements, the system can be customized to meet a provider's needs.
Open source argues that you don't have to drop a lot of cash to get the technology you need. And that's just what Medsphere did with "Stimulus One." The company bought the van for $1,300 and spent the next 3 weeks revving and transforming it into a mobile billboard calling people to "Catch the Open Source Wave."
Stimulus One has already earned its 15 minutes of fame. A photo of the van parked next to a proprietary vendor's looming 16-wheeler created a firestorm on the Web, according to Mike Doyle, CEO, Medsphere. The snapshot was circulated as a visual for open source as a no-hassle approach to software.
"People immediately understand the difference in approach," Doyle said. "I think [the photo] sums it up."
Dwarfed by the trailer truck, Stimulus One still gets the job done-a testament to the open source ideology, Doyle said. No bells and whistles; just results.
Door to Door
On the personal health record (PHR) front, PassportMD is showing just how portable health information can be. The company launched an RV last month that lets consumers see how PHRs can be accessed on the fly.
"[We] let them really touch, feel and learn how to use a health record and see the tangible benefits right there, rather than having to hear about it from Web applications," said Steven Hacker, MD, CEO and founder of PassportMD.
The company aims to educate all patients, but is specifically targeting the elderly population. PassportMD is part of a Medicare pilot program testing the effectiveness of PHRs as a health tool for seniors. Dr. Hacker said the RV helps the cause, as traveling trainers can set up a laptop and teach seniors how to use PHR applications in a snap.
The RV was unveiled in June at the 27th Annual Aging Services of Arizona Conference and Exposition and will be making rounds at various hospitals, pharmacies, senior centers and conventions in the Southwest. Former "Good Morning America" co-host and spokesperson for PassportMD Joan Lunden will make an appearance at some of the larger events, Dr. Hacker said.
Outreach isn't just limited to consumers; the RV is also enlightening physicians about PHRs and how they can encourage patients to enroll.
Like Tullman, Dr. Hacker advocates for grassroots efforts, but knows change needs to come from all directions. "It's just one piece of a very large puzzle," he said.
Cheryl McEvoy is an editorial assistant with ADVANCE.
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