News 02/16/07

From QSInsider: "Re: SEC. Funny that 'Anonymous' should post this rant at the same time that the Allscripts earning report came up a little short and their stock started to plummet. Coincidence? The SEC has launched an investigation into QSI trading activity, but has not claimed evidence of any wrongdoing. Mr. Holt is still employed by QSI and executive management has affirmed their confidence in him. Let's wait for the SEC's report before passing judgment."

From PoBoy: "Re: Eclipsys past stock option grants. They stated they're reviewing the period 1998 thru 2001. Wouldn't the current CFO (who was in Finance during that period) and three of the current Board members (who were also Board members during that period) already know if backdating took place?" 

From Bob Allen: "Re: wow. I think what your blog is doing for Project Health is amazing. I work with them through a school system and got word of this initiative. I think it says a whole lot for your industry that people would do this for children that need the help. Bravo to you and your readers." Well, bravo to Jonathan Bush and those folks who have bid to spend time with him, anyway. My role is just to connect them. Early on, we said that even if we raised only $20, it would be worth it, so obviously we're all ecstatic at the current high bid. There may even be a sign in the athenahealth HIMSS booth with the winner's name on it, you never know.

Speaking of Project Health, I e-mailed Executive Director Rebecca Onie to tell her about the bidding so I could share any reactions or comments here. She sent back a very nice e-mail, surprised and happy at what was going on, but wouldn't you know, my Yahoo Mail account ate it (and it just did it the same to another message, so I know it's not me.) It's been acting up lately with Server Returned No Contents error (guess that's why they call it a beta), so her e-mail is gone, not even in my Trash folder. I read it at work earlier and she was very nice and mentioned some programs Project Health is doing, but you'll have to take my word for it that it was cool and appreciative. The high bidder's money will be well spent. And if anyone has e-mailed me anything and I didn't reply, you might want to re-send.

From Lee Garblioli: "Re: Epic. You can downplay the recent financial analyst's report detailing Epic's troubled implementations, but it's actually signed by a professional with greater access to clients than any of us. Further, he swears in writing that he has no conflict of interest and goes to jail if he's not telling the truth. That makes it immensely more credible than anything you read here. And then you go on to attack this report for being based on CIO's perception rather than rigorous product comparison while at the same time promoting performers in the KLAS report and ridiculing the laggards.  As they say on their website, KLAS ratings are based solely on perceptions of performance and KLAS is part of the long list of analysts who've never done an objective in-depth product rating of key functionality, yet continue to make a healthy living from vendor payments. Unlike KLAS or Forrester or Gartner, no vendors pay these finanical analysts (see conflict of interest note above)." They did a survey, with a very small number of respondents, and of hospital management not limited to CIOs and not characterized as to role (since 2/3 of them said they'd never heard of Kaiser's HealthConnect problems, that may be a clue.) They weren't Epic customers and 2/3 hadn't seen the product. KLAS surveys only real customers of a given product. All that said, it's still an interesting report and its conclusions on which products will gain if Epic stumbles is good. Do I believe that Epic is suddently in big trouble and vulnerable to competitors? Not so much, but that's not really what the report concludes.

And speaking one more time about the report, I asked the reader who sent me a copy, Bob Saccamano, what he thinks. He's not sure how it's getting around. Is anyone else seeing the report circulating or being mentioned? Anyway, he had some thoughtful comments: "I’m not convinced the report will have a significant impact, but it might reveal that slight chink that will make a CIO want to dig deeper. We might see some of the almost mythical quality surrounding Epic begin to fade if Epic doesn’t begin completing their implementations at least close to the original budget and timeline. If I were a CIO in the early stages of system selection, I would make Epic explain the overages and delays. I would also request examples of any implementations, similar in size and scope, that were completed on time and within budget. With regard to KLAS, I was referring to programs like Epic's Good Install Plan and Good Maintenance Plan that monetarily reward clients for end-user satisfaction. In Good Install, customers get discounts based on end-user satisfaction surveys and Epic's installation effort. In Good Maintenance, they get support discounts for certifications, being current on releases, providing enough workstations, and allowing site visits. In other words, they provide their clients with incentives for maintaining a high level of end-user satisfaction and this in turn leads to those users giving lofty reviews when KLAS comes calling."

From Rowdy Yates: "Re: CHIME. Admission has been so dumbed down that anyone with an IQ above gravel and a title other than dogcatcher can get in. This has gone on for years in the name of more numbers and more dues revenue." Maybe I should try to join as the chief IT executive of HIStalk. I bet I'd have more good stuff to write about.

The LA Times runs a piece on Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect. Justen Deal was quoted, it mentions how the $1.8 billion project estimate is now at $3.2 billion, and it had this comment from a Kaiser systems analyst who left the company last week: "This is the worst [technology] project I have seen in my 25 years in the business" although he seemed to be referring to working conditions more than anything else. Since we're all industry insiders, I don't think there's much new in the article for us.

I forgot to mention yesterday that my interview with Bruce Cerullo of Lucida Healthcare IT Group went so well that the company has decided to become an HIStalk Platinum sponsor. Their ad was already up because we'd finished the interview late last week, after which the sponsorship thing happened and I finally got the interview transcribed. I also forgot to give their web address: www.lucidahit.com. I surely appreciate the company's support. I notice too that Bruce has provided an answer to a reader's question about salaries for the informatics professionals.

Speaking of HIStalk sponsors, I would really appreciate your dropping by their booths at HIMSS, saying hello, and thanking them. They could drop me like a hot potato, so your acknowledgment will make a difference.

EnovateIT (Platinum)
eScription (Gold)
Hayes Management Consulting (Gold)
Healthcare Growth Partners (Gold)
Inside Healthcare Computing (Platinum)
Lucida Healthcare IT Group (Platinum)
Medicity (Platinum)
Novo Innovations (Gold)
Picis (Platinum)
SCI Solutions (Platinum)
SolCom (Gold Banner)

The Wall Street Journal had a detailed and favorable article on athenahealth yesterday (front page, I think.) It talked about how the company can spot oddball denial patterns, like the example where Texas Medicaid changed its claims codes for immunizations, which a practice manager said she'd never have even known about except that athenahealth started editing the practice's claims for a missing code extension. "The insurers outcode us, they outsmart us, and the have more manpower. Now we at least have a fighting chance."

Cerner stock blows through its 52-week high today, closing at $52.42, up $1.25.

Grady Hospital, letting consultants make its decisions for it, fires CIO Michael Payne.

A HIMSS Analytics study says nurses see the benefits of point-of-care technology.

The Charlotte paper talks about Cereplex, the infection control software company Premier bought last year.

My editorial in Inside Healthcare Computing's update this week: "Want To Anger a Nurse? Make Smug Comments about Grocery Store Barcoding." I got no response, so it must have been (a) lame; (b) so profound that extended cogitation was required; or (c) so spot-on that I left nothing to add.

Jim Hudak is elected chairman of MedAvant's board of directors.

The State Department may use the DoD's AHLTA EMR system for embassy personnel.

VeriChip IPO's and goes nowhere, even though the price and shares were reduced. $18 million market cap, hardly seems worth it. Human-implanted RFID chips may not be as fun and desirable as they sound.

Mount Sinai Hospital (NY) and Daughers of Charity (CA) kick ED butt after implementing Picis. At Sinai, lost and illegible charts went from 5,000 a year to none. At DOC, revenue increased $40 million in six EDs. And speaking of Picis, their critical care system is live at the Indianapolis VA and University of Iowa.

Two former reps are suing the drug company that fired them. The company says the women were terminated for taking a client to a strip club. The women say it was because they complained about the company's pushing doctors to use its drug for unapproved treatments. As evidence, they produced a slide show intended for doctors that showed them how to bill Medicare for their drug, helpfully accompanied by a "ka-ching" sound effect. The former reps are named Melissa and Heidi, so I'm assuming they're cute. If only patients knew what a cesspool is involved in getting a drug from labs into their bodies.

A computer virus hits hospitals in Quebec, slowing systems. The hospital spokesperson cracks a little bacterial humor: "At least this time it’s nothing to do with gastro or C-difficile." Good one.

A cast of thousands, including CSC and Connecting for Health, demonstrate their NHIN prototype.

Sharp Community Medical Group (CA) will implement Allscripts TouchWorks for its 700 physicians. Speaking of Allscripts, they announced nice Q4 increases in revenue and earnings Tuesday, but share dilution and the A4 acquisition left EPS unchanged from the same quarter last year.

Merge Healthcare announces a deal for HBO Middle East (no, not that HBO, and no, not that other one either) to distribute its products.

Touro Infirmary turns IT over to Siemens.

I'm knocking off a little early tonight. I need to write up the HISsies this weekend, so hopefully I'll get that finished. In the meantime, news, rumors, or a response from Yahoo's customer support as to why their e-mail is destroying my messages: e-mail me.