Atlas.md | EMR Software for Concierge Medicine

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 9, 2017

DPC is the Answer to Both Sides of the Retail Healthcare Argument.

You know those retail healthcare clinics, the ones tucked away in the corners of grocery stores? Research suggests that people are popping in there and spending money on treatments they don’t even need. Treatment for ailments that would probably resolve themselves. Well, okay, consider this. A patient has a rash. They bust out the browser: Google alludes to death or worse if they don’t get treated right away. So they run down the street, seek quick treatment from someone they don’t know, and consider it done. Easy? Sure. Quality care? If you’re lucky. Cost effective? Not quite.

Dr. Scott Ashwood headed up the study that was published in the medical journal Health Affairs. When asked if these retail clinics are making care too convenient, he spoke in defense of the study.

“So getting more people treated for those conditions is probably good for the patients. They feel better and they may get back to work sooner. But from a broader perspective it may not be something we want to spend more money on as a society or [as a] a health plan. We would rather focus on higher value preventive care services.”

But Dr. Andrew Sussman, president of the MinuteClinic unit at CVS Health Corp., has a different take on the situation.

“The authors describe this as new care or new costs, which I think is a step backward. It’s not excessive costs to take care of people who don’t have a doctor. In fact, we are reaching an underserved population with retail clinics.”

DPC is the Answer.

Can’t decide if you’re Team Ashwood or Team Sussman? Don’t worry, you don’t have to choose because there’s a third option in this retail healthcare situation. Direct Care. DPC provides quality care to patients who cannot otherwise afford health insurance. A low monthly subscription fee takes the place of insurance and offers 24/7 access to a doctor, wholesale prices on prescription medications, free yearly exams and so much more. DPC’s business model is built around transparency and patient-centric values. So, you get quality care for the underserved. And those patients can still be seen nearly immediately, and consulted with in unconventional, incredibly convenient ways like text message, email, phone call, and even video calls.

Direct Care makes healthcare affordable and accessible for nearly everyone. Plus, patients get so much more than a quick fix to whatever ails them. They get to build a relationship with a physician who truly cares about their health from a proactive standpoint. Who doesn’t want that?

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 6, 2017

#aafp

The DPC Myth-Buster, Courtesy of the AAFP!

When the AAFP takes it upon itself to “dispel myths” about DPC, you do a little happy dance. You also pump your fist in the air and yell, “FINALLY!”

Look, we get it, DPC carries with it a bit of an educational learning curve. It used to be that healthcare without insurance wasn’t a natural concept for many people – both patients and physicians alike. But we knew it was the better way and we’ve watched the DPC movement explode. Like any truly good product, DPC continues to sell itself. The AAFP proves it when they say things like this:

“ [DPC]…creates transactional efficiencies and reduces administrative burdens for primary care physicians.”

and

“…DPC is actually an ideal strategy to provide our nation a robust family medicine physician workforce in the long run.”

and

“The normal workforce economics that naturally occur in the unregulated DPC environment mean that physicians gravitate to a panel size of 900 simply because that’s what is sustainable for healthy physician-patient relationships.”

DPC isn’t in bed with the AAFP, obviously. But we know the medical community takes what they say very, very seriously. And so the kind, bold and factual argument displayed here makes us blush with pride.

Honestly, there is so much logical goodness in this article that you might as well just read the whole thing for yourself. Well, go on then.

Posted by: AtlasMD

December 9, 2016

#aafp
#millennials

Treating Millennials with Direct Primary Care

DPC is all about connecting with patients, which ironically is prevented by the standard insurance model. All those rules and regulations are so tough to keep up with, and heaven forbid you break one of ’em. The fear itself can effectively prevent that connection which leads to a healthy doctor-patient relationship. Can’t text. Can’t Skype. Can’t Tweet. And when you feel like you’re basing a diagnosis on the ICD code instead of the other way around? Don’t even get us started. But we digress…

Thank goodness there’s a better way. Direct Care literally shoves all that craziness to the side and lets us focus on the patient. Listening to them. Talking to them. Connecting with them. However they want. We would do well to remember that Direct Care was built on the premise of transparent communication. But we would do even better to remember that not everyone communicates the same way. Your “older” generation thrives on phone calls and emails. But your millennials? They’re different. They text and tweet. Constantly. It’s concise. And fast. And that’s all they need. #micdrop

The AAFP wrote an article addressing some of this not too long ago. They had all kinds of great ideas on how to attract and engage this generation. The whole thing is over here, but let’s take a quick peek at the good stuff: Read more

Posted by: AtlasMD

December 5, 2016

#calendar management

Feature Review: Making Your Calendar Work for You

This time of year is crazy, don’t you agree? The holidays bring with it random, inconsistent office hours, winter vacations to schedule around, and patients who need to be seen at all times of the day… and night!

There’s no better time than now to make sure you’re getting the most out of your calendar. Learn all the tips and tricks that will keep you and your clinic running smoothly – no matter how many locations you have! This video shows you how to create new appointments, how to edit the ones that are already there, and how to set up your calendar with different views to make sure you’re getting the full picture.

Posted by: AtlasMD

November 4, 2016

#Michael Ciampi

These Prices are INSANE. #IAmDirectCare

There’s all kinds of talk about how much money Direct Care can save patients. You know, DPC practices who offer wholesale prices on meds, and pile on coupons on top of that. Oh, and that the cost of a monthly subscription is way less expensive than the cost of an insurance policy they may not even need. All true. All good. But have you ever seen the numbers? Like, really really looked?

Dr. Ciampi did the work using lab prices as a baseline. Called around, got some information, and laid it out. And may we just say. Whoa.

Why Isn’t This a Bigger Deal?!

It’s just crazy when you look at the markup across the board. So why don’t numbers like this raise more eyebrows? We don’t know exactly, but we imagine it’s just what consumers have come to expect to pay. The problem feels so much bigger than they can handle, and maybe they feel like the fight isn’t theirs. Just think of all the third parties, and political motivations behind markups (do we need to remind you about the whole EpiPen thing?) But Direct Care is leading this fight in our own way. Because we look out for our patients at all costs – and that means drastically reducing their costs while providing excellent care. We don’t want to take down big pharma, stand up to big government, or face big anything else. What Direct Care does want, though, is to be the alternative that patients and doctors are searching for. That better way. That breath of fresh air. And with prices like this, who can object that we’re headed in the right direction?

Posted by: AtlasMD

October 19, 2016

Quality of Care vs Third Parties.

Third parties are supposed to be helpful. But when they’re not, the result can be incredibly detrimental.

This study from The Physician’s Foundation threw out a number, associated that number with docs who felt third party elements actually took away from their ability to provide quality patient care, and that number is quite staggering.

About two-thirds (72%) said third-party intrusions detract from the quality of care.

Without generalizing too much, it’s saying that pretty much everyone agrees with the whole “direct is better” concept. Think of it this way. On some level, we all want to pour a foundation for the next generation to build upon. To leave footprints in which others may follow, right? In the epic battle between quality of care and third parties, third parties are winning. So sad. But it gets worse. This study also says nearly half of physicians polled wouldn’t even recommend this profession to their own kids. Dang.

“Enough!” Says Direct Care.

Enough with the depressing stats. Enough shattered expectations. Enough putting up with a system that breaks doctors. The story Direct Care tells is different. It’s one of hope. Passion. Freedom. Direct Care puts its foot down, and cuts out the middle man. You know, outside stuff that gets in the way of you doing your job. Direct Care essentially acts as a bulldozer for all those things. What traditional healthcare says is vital and can’t be worked around, Direct Care says isn’t more important than patient care. Forget about all the stuff that trips you up and leaves you wishing you had another 15 minutes to spend in the exam room. Or cursing at a mountain of paperwork every evening. Wait, wait. Shhh. Listen.

Can you hear them? That 72% who just heard that they don’t have to deal with third party anything if they don’t want to? They’re popping corks and throwing up confetti. They’re celebrating. Oh, we know how they feel. It’s amazing to know there’s a better way. To know that the alternative to your broken dreams are new dreams you never even imagined before. Not only helping patients on your time and their time at the same time (wrap your head around that one…) but not having to jump through hoops to do it.

Practice Direct Care. It’s the solution to third party madness, and it just might be the ticket to preserving a healthcare industry the next generation actually wants to be a part of.

Posted by: AtlasMD

October 14, 2016

#Dr. Farrago

Feature Review: Two-Step Authentication

Security is more important than ever, right? Atlas takes it incredibly seriously, and you should know your options for keeping your account protected. For example, two-step authentication is a great way to go that extra mile. This video talks about why two-step authentication is a good option for increased security, and how to enable it in your account.

Learn More!

For more information on keeping your account secure, check out the support documents. >

Posted by: AtlasMD

September 29, 2016

#what's new

What’s New in Atlas.md? Workflow Adaptation!

Healthcare entities can get big. Really big. So big that it can feel truly impossible to navigate the EMR it runs on. You wind up with a massive system where certain departments only use certain pieces of it. And you don’t dare touch those buttons over there for fear of the whole thing imploding. Most EMRs don’t feel natural.

Atlas.md is different. Because it’s built for a special kind of practice that operates on a special kind of business model. Direct Care cuts the red tape that says things are so complicated that they can’t be simplified. Atlas knows there’s a better way. Atlas is the better way.

In this feature release, we’ll show you all the ways Atlas adapts to your workflow. Your EMR is an extension of the work you do. It’s a part of who you are. So let’s dig into how features like note drafts, email attachments, and the ability to waive patient lab fees are going to make your day better.

Chart Drafts Center

Have to step away from charting to speak to a patient? Take your time; your note will still be there when you get back…whenever that is, and from whatever device you pick it up from! Learn more about the new Draft Center over here.

No Immunizations? Be More Specific, Please.

Refusing a vaccine is a lot different than being allergic to it… and now you can note the details in a free text field on the enrollment form.

Choose Specific Auto-Charge Dates

You’ve always been able to control when your patients are charged for your services, but now you can be even more specific with the options you provide them. Read the details right here.

Email Attachments to Mass Emails

Emailing from within Atlas gets fancier with the ability to add attachments to mass emails! Need a refresher on how to email everyone at once? Catch up here.

Billing Attachments

Because your patient information comes in many shapes and sizes, now you can attach files to your billing notes to keep everything organized. Get the details.

Assign Inbox Files as Custom Labs

Labs deserve special treatment, don’t you think? Now you can not only assign them to your patient’s chart from the files inbox, but you can also specify that it’s a custom lab document. Boom.

Waive Patient Lab Fees

If you want to waive the lab fee, now you can do it as you’re ordering the lab instead of manipulating billing later. Learn how over here.

Import and Export Contacts

So many of you love the Directory of Contacts! In its first new feature since launch, you can now import information to your directory, or export the entire thing. Find out how here.

Low or Out of Stock Inventory Notification

When you’re running low, or completely out of stock on inventory, Atlas will let you know before it becomes a problem. Learn how it works here.

Search for non-NDC items by SKU

Now there’s an easier way to search for non-NDC items in your inventory. Yup, by SKU! Catch up on inventory management over here.

New Macros!

The list is getting longer – and more comprehensive… just like you like it. Oh, and did you know? You can use macros in the files inbox note when assigning it to a patient’s chart. Also, gender is included in the demographics macro #demo now. And finally, your #vitals values will include your latest additions! Review the full list of macros over here.

Importing and Exporting Patient Information

Atlas’ patient importer tool now lets you specify branch location. The exporter tool puts your patient charts in nice tidy files outside the EMR, and can even help you easily review and track your subscriptions. Best of both worlds.

Posted by: AtlasMD

September 21, 2016

Insurance Agrees: Direct Care Is Catching On

In an article from InsuranceNewsNet.com, Direct Care was the topic of discussion. DPC was shed in a positive light – and that’s the way it should be. Because that’s the way it is in real life. Yes, DPC and insurance are actually friends.

To those who don’t understand the business model, it might seem that Direct Care and insurance are at odds with each other. But that’s not actually the case. DPC finds its way around things that trip up the traditional healthcare system, and in a situation where the rules and regulations prevent the rules from being followed properly in the first place, a straight line from doctor to patient is a breath of fresh air. DPC never said insurance isn’t a good thing. In fact, most Direct Care providers actually recommend patients maintain a high deductible plan for emergency situations. It’s believed that filing fewer insurance claims will actually lead to more quality insurance claims… which in turn will lead to more claims that are actually paid by patients.

When patients pay for what they actually need rather than what they might need, everyone wins.

Know who else is winning? DPC providers like Tanya Spoon. She opened the doors to her Direct Care practice after a career in traditional healthcare and hasn’t looked back.

“My life/work balance is amazingly better,” she said. “I get to go home ever day for lunch.”

The benefits are familiar to those of us already immersed in the good life of Direct Care – but it’s fantastic to see them on InsuranceNewsNet.com.

“For providers, its an opportunity to spend more time practicing medicine. Spoon cared for about 4,000 people at the conventional primary care practice in Silverdale, carving out a few minutes for each visit. At Manette Clinic, she guarantees patients at least 30 minutes each time they see her, and she makes frequent house calls and visits to assisted living facilities.”

So now, it’s a quality win-win-win. Insurance companies win because they’re getting higher quality claims. Providers win because they get a work/life balance that is actually balanced. And patients win because they get a provider who has the time and energy to provide incredible care.

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Atlas.md | EMR Software for Concierge Medicine