Info technology more available to small practices

Greater affordability and accessibility is cited, although price is a sticking point for many doctors.

By Tyler Chin, AMNews staff. Sept. 23/30, 2002.

Internet-based technologies and new business practices by software companies are helping lower barriers that once made it impractical for solo and small physician practices to use technology outside the billing arena, according to a new report.

Interviews with doctors at more two dozen solo and small practices found that those doctors are using more technology to address nonbilling-related problems because clinical information technology is more accessible, useful and affordable than before, said Jane Metzger, co-author of the report "Achieving Tangible IT Benefits in Small Physician Practices."

Several factors drive smaller practices to use technology, said Metzger, research director of First Consulting Group, a Long Beach, Calif.-based health care technology consulting firm that prepared the report for the California Health Care Foundation:

• Web-based technologies and widespread access to the Internet allow software companies to design software that can be accessed and maintained remotely at a lower cost than traditional systems that carry huge upfront costs.
• Software companies now are designing and selling modular products, that allow doctors to buy only what they need instead of expensive "monolithic systems that do everything."
• Smaller, portable computing devices make it easier for doctors to use technology at the point of care.

Although those factors have made technology more feasible for small practices, Metzger said physician implementation of technology in that setting still is in the early stages. Cost remains a significant barrier. [...]