Arkansas Regional Extension Center Selects e-MDs as a Preferred EHR Vendor

AUSTIN, Texas, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- e-MDs, a leading provider of electronic health records (EHRs), announced they have been selected as an EHR vendor partner by HITArkansas, the state's federally designated Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (HITREC).  HITArkansas works to promote the adoption and use of health IT by offering guidance, technical assistance and financial incentives to health care providers who want to make the transition to EHRs.  e-MDs will work with HITArkansas to help physicians manage efficient implementation and achievement of meaningful use of EHRs in a cost-effective manner.  

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e-MDs was recognized as a preferred EHR vendor following an open RFP process and evaluation by a reviews committee comprised of membership from Arkansas Medical Society.  The top 18 EHRs were invited to participate in a thorough technical evaluation where the list was narrowed to 12 vendors with whom terms and conditions as well as pricing was negotiated.  The selected preferred vendors will offer Arkansas providers a pre-negotiated, vetted contract and a negotiated base price.  All chosen EHR vendors met the ONC's EHR certification and meaningful use requirements and will work closely with HITArkansas in order to facilitate the implementation process.  e-MDs was selected based on affordability, remote hosting option, ePrescribing capability, CCHIT certification, ability to interface with a state health information exchange (HIE) system, system functionality and benefit to providers.  e-MDs met these criteria and was recognized as a sustainable, sound company with a proven track record of providing high-quality technology.  

"HITArkansas is pleased to include e-MDs among its preferred vendors," said Ray Hanley, President and CEO of Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC). "This company is well-suited to meet the needs of our state's health care providers who choose e-MDs as their EHR vendor."

While HITArkansas has a "preferred" vendor list, the organization will support all practices, regardless of EHR vendor, as long as that vendor is ONC/ACTB certified.

"HITArkansas has made a proactive commitment to assist doctors in the State of Arkansas with transforming their practices through the use of electronic health records.  We look forward to working with them on wide range of topics, including the attainment of Meaningful Use by providers, patient safety, patient privacy, compliance with clinical guidelines, and other areas of concern to their providers," said Michael Stearns, MD, CEO of e-MDs. "These efforts will allow patients and providers to benefit from the effective use of health information technology in the state of Arkansas."

For more information on e-MDs, please visit www.e-MDs.com.  

About e-MDs

e-MDs is a leading developer of integrated electronic health records and practice management software for physician practices and enterprises.  Founded and actively managed by physicians, the company is an industry leader for usable, connected software that enables physician productivity and clinical excellence.  e-MDs software has received continual top rankings in physician and industry surveys including those conducted by the American Academy of Family Physicians and KLAS.  For more information, please visit www.e-mds.com, www.facebook.e-mds.com, and twitter.com/emds

About HITArkansas

HITArkansas (www.hitarkansas.org), a division of AFMC (www.afmc.org), works in cooperation with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to provide training, support, technical assistance, outreach and collaboration to health care providers across the state as they work to achieve meaningful use of EHRs. AFMC was incorporated in 1972 as a private, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the clinical evaluation and improvement of health care in Arkansas and throughout the country.  

SOURCE e-MDs