Retail giant Wal-Mart to join EMR markets soon; New York Times reports

Thursday, 12 March 2009 05:39 |

Healthcare IT News - Healthcare Informatics

New York Times report says, Wal-Mart palns to enter EMR market soon

The New-York Times reports the plans of the retail giant Wal-Mart to enter the Electronic Medical Records market. Wal-mart have seen an immense market potential for EMR and EHR in the US health market as the Stimulus Package has created a large pool of funding for even small -physician practice EHR adoption. Newspaper reports that by partnering its Sam's Club division with PC giant Dell and software provider eClinicalWorks, the company will offer EMRs for less than $25,000 for the first physician in a practice and $10,000 for each additional doctor.

This movement which is likely to create new waves in the EHR market will start by this spring itself, the New York Times reported. Reports relates this timely move to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s promise of $17 billion in upcoming incentive payments to doctors and hospitals who implement health care information technology, by the beginning of 2011.

A report by Mass High Tech , a sister publication of the Triangle Business Journal reports that, Massachusetts based eClinicalWorks confirmed that they will be joining Wal-Mart and the other partners in the venture and aims to offer an electronic system to physicians at half the price.

On the other hand, Ryan Howard, CEO of San Francisco’s Practice Fusion, a free ad-supported EMR service provider says that he is confused with the announcement by Wal-Mart as the current software options cost about the same amount as the prices Wal-Mart disclosed.

In this occasion, the various press people also recalls that in September 2008 Wal-Mart officials said the company would provide associates and their families with access to electronic health records powered by Dossia. President and CEO Lee Scott said the company "will provide electronic healthrecords to United States associates and their family members - including retirees by the end of2010. However, the new venture by Wal-mart to enter EMR market will surely tighten the competition in the US health and medical reports arena.

Source: New York Times

Tags: EMR market - eClinicalWorks - Electronic Medical Records market - Radiology medical companies - company news - IT Management - Informatics - Health care IT - modalities - Radiology Announcements - communities - Organizations - Hospital IT - product review

First Name:*	Last Name:*
Email:*	Phone:*
Company Name:*
Comment:

Enter Your Email Address to Receive a Copy of MedicExhange Member Demograhpics

Retail giant Wal-Mart to join EMR markets soon; New York Times reports

Enter Your Email Address to Receive a
Copy of MedicExhange Member Demograhpics