I've been contemplating the acquisition of a starter EMR program lately, so that I can get proficient with it prior to starting my practice. Painfully, it seems that Walmart has the deals on what I want. Hmmmm. And there are a lot of other downsides. Naturopaths don't get medicare reimbursement anyway. But I still think I will have to try it. I can revert to the old fashioned pen and paper method if needed. I confess, I have also been contemplating what to do about malpractice insurance. I am greatly inspired by docs who practice without it. It definitely changes your practice. What do you guys think of all that?

No doctor can ignore the growing pressures to start using an EMR. With the Obama administration avidly promoting healthcare information technology, and tens of thousands of dollars at stake in incentives and future penalties for doctors, more physicians will be implementing EMRs in the coming years. Under the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, physicians who demonstrate meaningful use of EMR by 2011 will be eligible for full federal subsidies of up to $44,000. Failure to implement EMR by 2014 may also result in increased malpractice premiums and increased exposure to malpractice claims, as well as a reduction in Medicare reimbursement, beginning in 2015.

SOURCE
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/589724?src=mp&spon=17&uac=89474MT