BREAKING eClinicalWorks settles $155M suit alleging it faked certification
— Chuck Webster MDMSIE ()
While not excusing eClinicalWorks, they were trying to help their customers get the meaningful use subsidies, by gosh or by golly. So, I imagine, if ECW clients reflect on this, they may sympathize with ECW and stick with them… for a while. If the government attempts to claw back those meaningful use payments, possibly as a stick to get ECW customers to migrate to alternative certified EHRs, I’m sure ECW will lose some clients.
On the other hand, while moving data from one EHR to another EHR is difficult enough, migrating workflows from one EHR to another EHR will be even more problematic. Once users customize EHR workflows, or force themselves to adapt to EHR specific ways of operation, they are loath to move to another EHR, if only to avoid another painful training, configuration, and go-live process again.
In the long run, if the financial penalties and additional requirements of the settlement result in diminishing ECW ability to add new features, and support existing ones, then ECW will find it more-and-more difficult to compete in the EHR marketplace.
While I am likely in the minority view here, I think blaming ECW (and other EHR vendors) for this sad situation is shortsighted, unless one also acknowledges the role of the entire meaningful use program, in distorting not just the EHR market, but also the ethical and moral principles of many EHR vendors. It was an expensive mistake, the unintended consequences of which we will be living with for many years.
This is probably the worst possible time to sympathise w/ECW, & God knows I've been a critic, but problem isn't ECW, it's …
— Chuck Webster MDMSIE ()