If I twisted my knee, or injured my shoulder, and asked you for advice on a physician to see, would you suggest to me that I go see my Primary Care Physician? Of course not! You would send me to a specialist, an orthopedic physician that has the training, experience, and know-how to properly take care of my injury and put me on the road to recovery.

Why then, would you handle one of the biggest, furthest-reaching, and most critical decisions an orthopedic practice can make, the selection of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) solution, any differently? Orthopedic physicians and their staffs have unique workflows, volume, and needs. The EHR you select is a tool, not unlike the highly specialized tools that orthopedic surgeons use in the operating room, that will be used on every patient the physician sees, and will have a profound impact on the efficiency, workflow, and growth of your practice.

The vast majority of EHR’s on the market were designed for Primary Care. They then made a few templates for cardiology, ophthalmology, oncology, and 30 other specialties before they got around to orthopedics. Just because a vendor puts some ortho terminology in the solution (meniscus, impingement) doesn’t mean they TRULY have orthopedic content. Look on their website, and you’ll see that they are offering their solution to 30 or more medical specialties, one of which happens to be orthopedics. It’s like the Primary Care Provider that treats the common cold and a host of generic ailments deciding he’s going to repair a torn rotator cuff!

An administrator recently told me that the two worst things an orthopedic administrator can deal with is negotiating physician contracts and selecting an EHR;