Alberta physicians in EMR limbo
March 04, 2008 | Matt Borsellino

AMA is discouraging doctors from making any quick decisions about electronic medical records until funding of such products is clear

EDMONTON | Alberta’s doctors are in electronic medical records limbo—and they will stay there at least until the end of March.

Uncertainty continues to swirl around the province’s Physician Office System Program and plans for EMRs, states a letter sent earlier this month to Alberta Medical Association members by president Dr. Darryl LaBuick.

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Doctors are hoping they will know if POSP funding will be continued for the next three years by a March 31 deadline, he wrote. The AMA’s 2006-2008 trilateral agreement with Alberta Health and Wellness and the regional health authorities calls for a provincial request for proposals (RFP) to select EMR products eligible for POSP funding.

Once the RFP is released, vendors will respond with proposals and selections will be made, but a final list isn’t likely to be available until later this year, Dr. LaBuick noted.

“Using EMRs is very good for patient care,” his letter states. “On those days when we may look around and perhaps wonder where all this effort is leading us and why it’s necessary, that’s what we must come back to.”

For many AMA members, though, it’s still a very fluid situation. Some of their decisions have to be made very soon. “You may be using an EMR now and need to make a change,” Dr. LaBuick wrote. “Your POSP funding may have expired, and you want to know which EMR products will be eligible in the future. No matter the reason, until the RFP is complete, there are no clear EMR product choices for physicians,” he warned.

“That’s a problem because some are in a situation where they may need to make that choice soon,” he added. “We recommend, however, that you may want to consider holding on any EMR decisions for the time being if you possibly can. We recognize this may be difficult, but the AMA is pursuing numerous activities and promoting positions that will affect the choices you make.”

The AMA’s strategy has three major components, according to Dr. LaBuick:

1. POSP funding should continue for eligible physicians awaiting the RFP results.

“Otherwise, those who change EMR products prematurely might have to make another change later, and that doesn’t make sense,” he wrote.

2. There should be transitional support for those required to change EMRs because of the RFP.

“Physicians will also require substantial assistance after the RFP process is complete,” he noted.

The AMA wants such assistance to include “financial support for initial ongoing costs,” technical support so new EMRs work properly “right away” and assistance with converting and moving patient data “safely, completely and accurately” from one EMR system to another if necessary.

3. The AMA will continue to press provincial officials for longer-term POSP funding.

Dr. LaBuick also told members the Capital and Calgary health regions are sponsoring additional EMR products that will be eligible for POSP funding and comply with provincial RFP requirements.

“We are working to support physicians who may contemplate one of the regional health authority (RHA) EMRs when they are available,” he wrote. “Using these products means that you share control of the patient record with the RHA.”

The AMA wants to help doctors reach agreements with RHAs on viewing and using patient information in shared EMRs. It has consulted with the Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Medical Protective Association and others to do that, he added.

“Given all the things that are occurring, we strongly encourage you to avoid making any decisions about your EMR until we have more answers for you,” wrote Dr. LaBuick. He’s encouraging those who feel they must change EMR products before questions are answered to e-mail him so he can ask POSP managers for followup help.