Desert Bloom Family Medicine is a nine-provider Primary Care and Urgent Care practice with a very high concentration of patients who suffer from multiple chronic conditions and diseases. This busy, diverse practice provides services in a wide variety of areas, including men’s health, women’s health, pediatric care, adolescent care, laser cosmetic services and minor procedures, such as joint injections. They have two offices in Phoenix, Arizona.
In 2014, the practice invested a great deal of financial resources in their previous EHR system, GE CentricityTM, but it wasn’t long before they realized that it just wasn’t working for them. Not only was the system cumbersome and slow to use, but the practice felt like they were “hemorrhaging money.”
The practice began investigating other EHR solutions in 2015. After reviewing several systems, they were highly impressed with CGM APRIMA.
“CGM APRIMA was the only system that did all the things that we wanted,” said Leslie Rach, FNP-C, Desert Bloom Family Medicine. The question facing the practice was do they walk away from their investment in something that’s not working to invest in a new EHR that would meet their needs? The conclusion the practice came to: “Yes. We felt like we needed to cut off the arm to save the body,” said Rach.
The CGM APRIMA Rescue Plan
The CGM APRIMA Rescue Plan was created to help healthcare providers convert to CGM APRIMA’s powerful EHR system in a cost-effective way.
“We continue to hear from users of other EHR systems that those products are difficult to use. We wanted to help medical practices switch to CGM APRIMA so they could get the experience they expect and deserve,” said Michael Nissenbaum, president of CGM APRIMA.
Desert Bloom was one of those practices.
“It was an incredibly difficult decision to make because we had invested a great deal of financial resources into our prior EHR system,” said Dr. Hiler. “Ultimately, when comparing the tremendous clinical and administrative advantages we would gain by switching and upgrading to CGM APRIMA, I felt like it was the right decision.”
The CGM APRIMA Rescue Plan enabled Desert Bloom to convert and upgrade to CGM APRIMA in a way that was financially feasible for the practice. Best of all, the practice gained an EHR solution that, based on all of their research, they fully expect will substantially aid them in improving the quality outcome and care of their specific patient demographics.
Intuitive chronic care management
Desert Bloom Family Medicine has a high concentration of patients who suffer from multiple chronic conditions and diseases. The practice needed a very sophisticated EHR to track and report on improved quality conditions and care plans with goals specific to each condition.
Desert Bloom was delighted to note that the CGM APRIMA EHR solution offered the kind of intuitive chronic care disease management that had been lacking with their previous system.
They also appreciated CGM APRIMA’s track record with the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program.
More efficient workflow
With their previous system, the providers experienced significant clinical frustrations. They found the general workflow to be very cumbersome and disruptive to the clinic. For example, several providers had between 500 and 2,000 open chart notes since the original “Go-Live” more than a year before. In fact, because a simple task such as a lab requisition took 11 clicks on their prior EHR, the providers resorted to hand-writing the orders and scanning them back into the EHR instead.
From easy documentation to intelligent navigation, CGM APRIMA EHR has improved the user experience for Desert Bloom – one that is far less cumbersome. For example, they can now pull prescription histories directly from the pharmacy using Surescripts®. Plus, each provider in the practice charts in a different way, such as point and click, voice recognition, etc., and CGM APRIMA enables providers to use the method they prefer.
Integration of bright futures program
For the practice’s pediatric population, the providers were thrilled with the integration of Bright FuturesTM from the AAP into the EHR solution. Through the CGM APRIMA EHR, practices have easy access to Bright Futures guidelines, including developmental milestones, screenings and assessments by age.
Our leading EHR solution, CGM APRIMA offers a uniquely fast, flexible, and powerful EHR designed to complement and simplify your workflow, not hinder it.
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Smooth implementation and hands on training
“The training has been unbelievable! I think you have ALL hit this one out of the park. GREAT JOB, everyone! Thank you all SO MUCH!”
– Martha Conradson, Clinic Administrator, Desert Bloom Family Medicine
The Desert Bloom team remarked that when comparing the implementation of CGM APRIMA versus the implementation of their prior EHR, it’s been like “night and day.” They noted that CGM APRIMA has been very hands on and has taken a well-managed training approach.
“Every single person at CGM APRIMA knows us; it’s like they live in our clinic. They understand the needs of the provider, front office, back office. They have solutions for us every time,” said Rach.
Getting paid for what they've earned
With CGM APRIMA, Desert Bloom is able to capture charges more easily and therefore get paid properly for all services they have provided.
With their previous system, Desert Bloom suspected that not all their services were being reported and documented within their EHR, and the practice was missing out on a significant amount of reimbursement money. In fact, the providers realized that they would likely never be able to benefit from the additional incentives available for Chronic Care Management through Medicare if they stayed on their existing platform.
“Every day we are thankful for making that leap to CGM APRIMA,” said Dr. Hiler.
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