Optimed Software - News

Optimed Passes the VCUR Test Again

2007-05-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

Optimed Software Corporation's Accuro EMR software has once again successfully met the Vendor Conformance Usability Requirements (VCUR) in the province of Alberta. This series of tests includes compatibility with the new Pharmaceutical Information Network (PIN), which is part of the provincial Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. The EHR is designed to provide a centralized patient record to improve access to information for health care providers throughout the province. Accuro EMR is an integral part of the system as it provides the window for the physician to access the health records.

With the passing of this test, Accuro EMR remains an approved product for the Physician Office System Program (POSP). Physicians who qualify receive funding from POSP to purchase and implement approved EMR systems.

For more information on POSP and its funding, please visit their website at: www.posp.ab.ca

Happy Administrative Professionals Day from Optimed!

2007-04-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

At Optimed Software Corporation, we know that medical administrative staff are invaluable resources. Without the talented Medical Office Assistants, Transcriptionists, and Clinic Managers working with them, physicians could not deliver the same high quality patient care.

So in honour of Administrative Professionals Day, we would like to say "Thank You!" to all the great staff we deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Optimed Answers BC Ministry of Health's RFP

2007-04-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

In response to the British Columbia Ministry of Health's request for proposals (RFP) for their Electronic Medical Records Project, Optimed Software Corporation has submitted a proposal.

The RFP was issued on February 19th, 2007 by the BC Ministry of Health's Physician Information Technology Office (PITO). This request went out to all the vendors in the EMR industry. From the proposals submitted, PITO will choose a final list of six EMR vendors who will be endorsed by the province. Eligible physicians will then be able to receive funding, as per their agreement with the BCMA, for the software of the approved vendors. For more information on PITO and the funding specifics, please visit www.bcma.org.

Optimed, as an active participant in the BC EMR community, is now eagerly awaiting PITO's decision. Initial results are expected by the end of April 2007.

Optimed's web accessible clinic management software, Accuro™, was physician designed to adapt to practice work flows and seamlessly integrate all components. Accuro™ EMR automates scheduling, communication, billing, and the use of electronic medical records to increase efficiency, security, and accuracy in order to elevate the quality of patient care while optimizing physician profitability.

Optimed Software Launches Accuro EMR Version 3.1

2007-03-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

After months of vigorous testing, Optimed Software Corporation is happy to announce that Version 3.1 of Accuro™ EMR is now available to all clients.

The changes found in 3.1 are based on feature requests from clients and also in continued compliance with Alberta's VCUR program.

Fifteen medical offices which use Accuro™ EMR volunteered to participate in the testing process. Using their feedback, Optimed's developers worked to strengthen any perceived deficiencies and optimize the software's ease of use.

Optimed chose to utilize a large number of 'beta' offices over a longer period of time in order to ensure a successful launch for all clients who are eagerly awaiting the new features and functionality found in Version 3.1.

Optimed's web accessible clinic management software, Accuro™, was physician designed to adapt to practice work flows and seamlessly integrate all components. Accuro™ EMR automates scheduling, communication, billing, and the use of electronic medical records to increase efficiency, security, and accuracy in order to elevate the quality of patient care while optimizing physician profitability.

QHR Technologies Acheives Microsoft Gold Level Certified Partner Status

2006-08-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

Optimed Software Corporation is pleased to announce that its parent company, QHR Technologies Inc., is now a Gold Level Certified Partner in the Microsoft Partner Program. The Gold Certified Partner status gives QHR Technologies and its subsidiary companies access to a new level of Microsoft resources, priority Microsoft incident support, and Microsoft product, server, and development licenses.

To achieve Gold Level status, QHR is required to have staff with Microsoft professional certifications, obtain and qualify for a number of Microsoft competencies (ISV/Software Solutions, Networking Infrastructure Solutions, etc.), receive approved customer references, and have our integrated EMR solution, Accuro™ EMR, tested and verified by Microsoft's Windows Platform testing process.

To find out more about Optimed Software, please visit our website at www.OptimedSoftware.com.

Optimed Agrees to Manage IT Needs of 200 BC Physicians

2007-02-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

Optimed Software Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of QHR Technologies Inc., has entered into an agreement with Medco Systems to acquire and manage the IT needs of their 200 physician client base currently using Medco's Practice Management System.

The agreement will take effect as of March 1, 2007 and Optimed will support Medco's client base as well as begin to transition these clients onto Optimed's proprietary Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, Accuro™ EMR. Mr. Ted Devries, President of Medco, said that, "We have identified Optimed Software Corporation, a QHR Technologies company, as having, in our opinion, the best EMR available."

With this agreement, Optimed now manages the technology needs of over 1,200 physicians in western Canada with over 275 physicians utilizing Accuro™ EMR systems.

To find out more about this agreement or for more investment information, please visit www.QHRtechnologies.com .

Endocrinologists Achieve Efficient Workflow with Accuro EMR

2007-04-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

Once they completed their residency in 2005, Dr. Jennifer Klinke and Dr. Julie Lee knew they wanted to begin their practice with an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. Drs. Klinke and Lee chose Accuro™ EMR for many reasons including Optimed's guaranteed crisis and trouble shooting response times.

Immediately they were able to gain efficiency because Endocrinology relies heavily on blood tests and Accuro&trade EMR automatically uploads these results into the system to be reviewed by the physician with a click of the mouse. With another click of the mouse, the test results are then attached to the patient's virtual chart so that a patient can be shown their progress using Accuro's auto-generated graphs.

Using Accuro&trade, some of the benefits Drs. Klinke and Lee have received are:

Elimination of redundancy when entering patient demographics
Able to share one MOA between two full time physicians
Documentation of all prescriptions and their refills

Drs. Klinke and Lee said, "We would highly recommend Accuro to our peers."

To read more about Drs. Klinke and Lee's success, please read the case study.

Ophthalmologist Sees 25% More Patients with Accuro EMR

2007-02-19T14:14:00.000-08:00

Before switching from paper charts to an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system in 2002, Dr. Ron Baldassare spent a lot of time doing 'homework'. The lack of time management in his practice was affecting his quality of life because his evenings and weekends were spent catching up on notes from each day's patient visits. After researching twelve other EMR companies and even looking into developing his own software program, Dr. Baldassare found his solution with Accuro™ EMR. He felt the Optimed Software Corporation "could effectively deal with [his] needs and got results."

Using Accuro&trade, some of the benefits Dr. Baldassare has received are:

Increased patient visits by 25% in less time
Elimination of after hours paperwork
Clear, legible patient records

Dr. Baldassare also noticed a positive impact on the work satisfaction for his staff. He said: "I have happier employees. Happy employees are more efficient employees."

To read more about Dr. Baldassare's success, please read the case study.

Orthopaedic Surgeon Starts Practice Off on Right Foot with Accuro EMR

2007-01-18T16:08:00.000-08:00

Five years ago when Dr. Steven Krywulak, an Orthopaedic Surgeon in Kelowna, British Columbia, was starting his practice, he knew he wanted to implement an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. He found "the old practice of paper charts inefficient and outdated." After considering the various EMR vendors, Dr. Krywulak chose Accuro EMR because he felt that the Optimed Software Corporation was a stable vendor that cared about their clients and "was going to continually improve their product."

Some of the benefits Dr. Krywulak has received using Accuro EMR:

Fast and easy access to all relevant practice data
Improved communication between him and his staff
Less time spent by staff sorting and filing paperwork

Dr. Krywulak believes that using Accuro EMR has "undoubtedly improved patient care." He said "[Optimed's] service has been excellent over the years and I am completely satisfied with the product."

To read more about Dr. Krywulak's success, please read the case study.

Nephrologist Connects to Patient Care with Accuro EMR

2007-01-31T10:15:00.000-08:00

In Dr. James Barton's practice, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he travels between four different sites to visit patients - often all in one day. This need for access to patient data while on the move lead Dr. Barton to chose an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. After researching several other EMR vendors, Dr. Barton chose Accuro EMR because he felt the Optimed Software Corporation "understood the Western Canada/Saskatchewan medical community."

Some of the benefits Dr. Barton has received using Accuro EMR:

Improved continuity of patient care amongst the clinic's 5 physicians
Reduction in 'catch-up' time by 1/d day to one full day
Lower costs for paper and printing

Dr. Barton said "I have never felt this connected to patient care. Since the implementation of Accuro, I know more about my patients, which allows me to give complete care."

To read more about Dr. Barton's success, please read the case study.

Medical Office Manager Sees Great Practice Improvements with Accuro EMR

2006-12-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

Ann McKenna, Office Manager at the Weight & Nutrition Management clinic in Calgary, Alberta, was becoming "tired of pulling and re-filing files". When Dr. Catherine McKenna chose Accuro EMR as the "most user-friendly" electronic medical record system, Ann was able to realize the elimination of filing time in the clinic.

Some of the benefits the Weight & Nutrition Management clinic has received using Accuro EMR:

1-2 hours each day saved by eliminating filing
Quick and efficient in office billing
Electronic lab results that do not get misplaced

Using Accuro, Ann has seen great practice improvements. She said, "We have numerous medical students through our office every year. They are all exposed to the software. Optimed can expect to be hearing from them in future years when they open their own offices."

To read more about Ann McKenna's success, please read the case study.

Rheumatologist Turns 80,000 Patient Charts Virtual & Gains Time Using Accuro EMR

2006-12-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

Dr. Markland, an esteemed Rheumatologist in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was running out of storage space in her clinic and running out of time to find and file her 80,000 patient charts.

She chose to turn those charts virtual using Optimed Software's electronic medical records system - Accuro&trade EMR. Some of the benefits Dr. Markland has garnered are with Accuro EMR are:

Instant chart access for her and her staff
Time gained for important clinical research
Improved billing accuracy

Using Accuro, Dr. Markland has been able to make better use of her valuable time and offer more comprehensive patient care. She said, "Without reservation, I have and will continue to recommend Accuro to any physician who wants easier access to their patient information and is interested in streamlining their practice."

To read more about Dr. Markland's success, please read the case study.

Accuro EMR Helps Plastic Surgeon Increase Practice Efficiency

2006-11-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

Dr. Valnicek, a prominent plastic surgeon in Kelowna, British Columbia, had being using Electronic Medical Record (EMR) technology in his practice but he found the existing systems to have "poor adaptability for specialists and substandard interfaces."

Since switching to Accuro EMR, some of the benefits Dr. Valnicek has garnered are:

Improved workflow efficiency
Rapid access to patient data
Elimination of filing time for staff

Using Accuro, Dr. Valnicek has achieved his overriding goal of a paperless office. He said:"After using other EMR systems, I would highly recommend Accuro EMR as the best system on the market."

To read more about Dr. Valnicek's success, please read the case study.

What is EMR?

2007-03-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

EMR is an acronym for Electronic Medical Record. An EMR encompasses everything that a patient's paper chart would: medical history, medications, allergies, test results, documentation of each patient encounter, letters regarding patient treatment, and any relevant visual.

There are many advantages to storing a patient's data electronically. Please see The Advantages of an Electronic Medical Record article for more information about EMR systems.

The Advantages of an Electronic Medical Record

2007-03-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

There are many advantages to a patient record being stored electronically in an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) versus a paper chart. The advantages listed below are considered the key reasons why a physician would move from a paper chart system to an EMR system.

Organization - Instead of being written down ad hoc in a paper chart, an EMR system allows for the organization of patient data electronically. This organization allows for all aspects of patient care to be systematized. For example, in stead of having to flip through a paper chart to find all the medications that a patient has been prescribed, with an EMR the information would be grouped in the prescription section of the virtual chart for easy physician review.

Security - All relevant medical information is attached to that particular patient record along with computerized times stamps that bring accountability to the chart system. It may be easy for a physician to go back and make a note to a paper file after the fact as if it was at that time of appointment, but it is impossible to claim to have inputted information at a different time when you are using an electronic system. Also, if data is deleted or changed, there is a stamp of who edited what information when. Thus, the EMR allows for an elevated level of security.

Accessibility - With a paper chart, only one person can be viewing the information in the chart at a time. Whereas with an EMR, multiple individuals are able to access a patient's virtual chart at the same time and the chart is accessible from outside the clinic via the Internet as well. This eliminates the need for physicians who attend clinics at more than one location to carry the paper charts with them. Also, as more physicians move to electronic medical records, this accessibility allows for greater patient safety. For example, an unconscious patient can be taken to hospital and the attending physician will be able to pull up their EMR and have access to all their allergies, existing medical conditions, and all other patient data that would be pertinent in an emergency situation.

PITO Issues RFP for BC Physicians' EMR

2007-02-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

Today, an announcement was sent via an email from the BCMA to all BC physicians that PITO (Physician Information Technology Office) has now officially released a "Request for Proposal" (RFP) to all vendors in the EMR (Electronic Medical Record) industry. This RFP is the first part of a process to find the top 6 EMR vendors. Once chosen, PITO will provide funding directly to physicians using an approved vendor's software package.

Optimed Software is very excited that this RFP has finally been released. We are highly motivated and we feel capable of being a successful vendor under this initiative. We believe our intellectual capabilities, products and proven business model can lead to our selection as a qualified vendor under the PITO RFP.

For more information on PITO and the funding specifics, please visit www.bcma.org.

Optimed Software's Accuro EMR Passes VCUR Interoperability Testing

2007-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

"I am pleased to announce that Optimed's Accuro™ software has passed the Vendor Conformance Usability Requirements (VCUR) for interoperability. Accuro™ EMR will continue to be an a funded product in the Province of Alberta", said Mike Checkley, Product Manager at Optimed Software Corporation.

Accuro™ has passed the Transfer of Patient Data/Conversion of Patient Data requirements, which allow for the exchange of data between different Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems. All EMR vendors in Alberta, who wish to remain on the official product list of the Physician Office System Program (POSP), are required to pass this interoperability test so that data can be imported or exported as required by the client. Physicians who qualify with POSP will receive financial assistance to towards a physician office system such as Accuro™.

Accuro™ EMR was specifically designed to improve the quality of physician's clinical work environment while delivering administrative productivity gains through computer automation. Accuro™ EMR delivers uniquely configurable tools for billing, patient scheduling, medical office communication, clinical research data management, and electronic medical records.

Optimed Software's Accuro EMR is VCUR Compliant

2004-06-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

"I am pleased to announce that Optimed has completed testing and received approval for its Accuro software as required under the stringent guidelines of the Vendor Conformance and Usability Requirements (VCUR) in the Province of Alberta", said Al Hildebrandt, President of Optimed Software Corporation.

Accuro™ will now be included on the official product list issued by the Physician Office System Program (POSP) in Alberta. This qualifying list identifies, for potential physician customers, all software systems designed for medical office use that meet the VCUR requirements. Physicians who qualify with POSP will receive financial assistance to purchase a physician office system such as Accuro™.

Accuro™ was specifically designed to improve the quality of physician's operational work environment while delivering administrative productivity gains through computer automation. Accuro™ delivers uniquely configured tools for billing, patient scheduling, medical office communication, clinical research data management, and electronic medical records (EMR).

Optimed Software's Accuro EMR is VCUR Compliant Once Again

2006-04-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

"I am please to announce that Optimed's Accuro™ EMR has passed the Vendor Conformance Usability Requirements (VCUR) for 2006. As in 2004, we completed testing and received approval as required under the rigorous guidelines of VCUR in the Province of Alberta", said Al Hildebrandt, President of Optimed Software Corporation .

Accuro EMR will continue to be included on the official product list issued by the Physician Office System Program (POSP) in Alberta. This qualifying list identifies, for potential physician customers, all software systems designed for medical office use that meet the VCUR requirements. Physicians who qualify with POSP will receive financial assistance to purchase a physician office system such as Accuro™.

Accuro™ was specifically designed to improve the quality of physician's operational work environment while delivering administrative productivity gains through computer automation. Accuro™ delivers uniquely configured tools for billing, patient scheduling, medical office communication, clinical research data management, and electronic medical records (EMR)

Optimed Software Acquires Medicentre Client Base

2006-09-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

"I am pleased to announce that Optimed has made an agreement to acquire iQmedX's medical billing, patient scheduling, and EMR technology, called Medicentre, which are currently being used by over 200 physician customers", said Al Hildebrandt, President of Optimed Software Corporation.

Optimed has acquired the iQmedX client base and, while providing support to those clients still using the Medicentre software, has begun to transition these clients onto its own clinic management software, Accuro™. Optimed built Accuro™ with comprehensive and flexible technology so that physicians are able to configure the system to meet their clinical preferences in order to streamline their workflows.

Optimed appreciates the vote of confidence that iQmedX's choice of Accuro™ represents and, as an organization, they will do everything in their power to meet and surpass the expectations of their new clients.

Optimed Software Launches New Website

2006-11-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Optimed Software Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of our new website. This new website reflects Optimed's ongoing commitment to helping physicians solve clinic problems using integrated clinic management software solutions.

Website highlights include:

Fresh, professional look with easier navigation
Client case studies outlining physician client goals and benefits garnered
The ability to search by physician goal or product feature
Opt-in list to receive Optimed news and updates
Blog-driven Newsroom section with RSS feed
Highly optimized for search engines
A 100% valid code base

"We have always been saying that the success of our clients is our success. Now our website reflects that mentality by bringing client benefits to the forefront," says Jackelyn Ford, Marketing Manager at Optimed Software.

Al Hildebrandt, President of Optimed said "We tell our story best by telling our customers' stories."

In the coming months, you'll see more of our clients success stories posted. Please check out the re-vamped site at www.optimedsoftware.com.

Optimed Software Corporation's Accuro™ software combines billing, scheduling, messaging, and electronic medical records (EMR) capabilities in order to automate clinical workflows. This automation includes chronic disease management, transcription free correspondence, and reporting through a unique integrated database. All software packages are web accessible and Apple compatible. Accuro™ is physician designed and endorsed by an Advisory Board of practicing physicians to be fully integrated and configurable in order to increase practice efficiency, security, and accuracy as to elevate the quality of patient care and optimize physician profitability. We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service, in depth on-site training, and implementation. You can focus on taking care of your patients, while Accuro™ EMR is taking care of your clinic management.

Optimed Software Assumes Peardon Consulting's Clientele

2006-06-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

"I am pleased to announce that Optimed has entered into an agreement with Peardon Consulting to manage their physician client base of over 300 doctors currently using their MedSoft Practice Manager software", said Al Hildebrandt, President of Optimed Software Corporation.

Optimed will acquire and support the Peardon clients using MedSoft and begin to transition these clients onto its own clinic management software, Accuro™. Optimed built Accuro with comprehensive and flexible technology so that physicians are able to configure the system to meet their clinical preferences in order to streamline their workflows.

Optimed appreciates the vote of confidence that Peardon's choice of Accuro™ represents and, as an organization, they will do everything in their power to meet and surpass the expectations of their new MedSoft clients.