What it's like to work with 'every EMR known to mankind,' according to LifePoint CIO Al Smith

Overseeing health IT for 62 community hospitals and 33 specialty hospitals across 29 states is definitely not "one-size-fits-all," says Al Smith, senior vice president and CIO of Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health.

"When you're in a smaller system, you just don't see that kind of disparity, that kind of variety," Mr. Smith told Becker's. "We aren't in a system that's going to be on one EMR, one supply chain — that would be utopia. That's just not the world I live in. So you get to work with lots of different vendors, lots of different customers, and lots of scale."

He spends a lot of his time on improving the digital patient experience, digitizing clinical workflows, and analyzing clinical data — as well as all of LifePoint's mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Founded in 1999, the private, for-profit health system is the country's seventh largest, according to a 2021 Becker's analysis.

"Every single acquisition spawns off 40 projects of security and infrastructure and all the other [health IT] things," he said. "So that's always interesting: How are you going to integrate, and what are you going to convert them to? Do you convert them? How much money are you going to spend? How do you integrate them into your IT support model?

"We believe at LifePoint that care is local. So a hospital up in Washington has different needs than a hospital in South Carolina, whether that's different risk-bearing models, ACO versus fee for service, etc. So we aren't able to really be one-size-fits-all. We've got to be flexible. So how do you do that across 60-plus hospitals plus different business lines? That's a challenge."

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Also, read more to look for one of the best EMR Software for your medical practice

NextGen EMR

NextGen EMR is an EMR solution designed for medium-sized facilities. It is not as complex as other EMR systems such as Meditech, Cerner, or Epic. It is very user-friendly and offers a free demo so users can explore the program before making a decision. Its user-friendly interface and easy-to-use capabilities make NextGen EMR an excellent alternative to Elation Health EMR.

NextGen Healthcare

The NextGen Healthcare EMR is a cloud-based software system that is designed for medical practices of all sizes. The company has over 3,000 employees and supports over 155,000 health professionals and practices. It offers ample scaling opportunities for large and small practices.

NextGen Ambulatory

NextGen Ambulatory EMR is designed to be simple to use by a physician. Its home screen provides quick access to past health information and medical history. It also lists medications and displays the number of entries. Physicians can also review and edit medication information with ease.

NextGen Enterprise

NextGen Enterprise EMR is a comprehensive, scalable, and personalized patient health record (EMR) system. It supports over 100,000 caregivers and 150 million patients. It also features rich reporting features. While NextGen is a competitive option for some practices, it also has its fair share of downsides. Some users complain about the complicated UX interface, slow upgrades, and lack of support from the vendor.

QSI

NextGen has made a strategic move by acquiring Mirth, a company that makes electronic health records. The acquisition will help NextGen serve 90,000 physicians through Mirth products. The acquisition will also help NextGen retain its independence. The company plans to keep its name, offices, and existing software licensing terms. It also plans to develop a cross-enterprise interoperability platform. NextGen has also relaunched its Quality Systems initiative. But the company faces challenges in maintaining its customers, including competition from larger competitors and a shift in patient care.

Integrations

The integration of NextGen EMR with accounting software will help you improve your financial performance. Besides storing detailed information about patient encounters and claims, the software also helps you manage your revenue cycle. By creating aggregate tables, you can track your expenses, generate reports, and allocate costs by profit center.

Pricing

NextGen EMR was founded in 1998 by two physicians with one goal in mind: improving medical office operations. They designed the system to be flexible and adaptable to each facility's unique workflow. In addition, it is easy to use and affordable. It can also be accessed from anywhere, making it ideal for physicians and other healthcare workers.