SOAPedia Home > Implementation Guides > 1. Pre-Purchase Considerations > D. Dispelling the EMR Industry Myths > Myth #4: I'm concerned my EMR system may become obsolete.
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Myth #4: I'm concerned my EMR system may become obsolete.
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SOAPware is committed to adopting any and all necessary standards gaining wide acceptance. We have enjoyed much positive press related to interoperability projects.
SOAPware is arguably the most technologically advanced system available in mid-2008. In contrast, most certified, mainstream EMR systems are based on yesterday’s technologies and tools. These legacy systems are all but destined to obsolescence as the falling prices for EMR systems reduces the resources available for redesign.
Technically, for example, SOAPware incorporates a classification system that allows for SMARText items to identify what they are to both computers and humans. This rather unique approach to classification is called SWICPC, and it is far more physician friendly that the universally adopted ICD or CPT. It is important to understand that each SMARText item can be associated with multiple identifiers in addition to ICD and CPT. This is a key feature allowing us to both avoid obsolescence and make information management easier. SWICPC is only one of the classification systems being used, internally, to associate information electronically. Additionally, we are gradually adding other identifiers (i.e. other classification systems such as SNOMED-CT, UMLS, etc.) to the key SMARText items. (Unfortunately, none of these other classification systems has proven to be very useful to real world clinicians taking care of real patients.) If even if the SWICPC approach does not prove to be a winner, we have the framework and infrastructure so that we are supporting other systems as well. Unlike with most EMR systems, there is great flexibility where we can support multiple coding systems.
The greatest protection against acquiring an EMR destined to become orphaned is the size of the base of users. While a majority of EMR companies have become extinct, none with a user-base even 25% of the size of SOAPware’s resulted in users having been completely abandoned. The shear number of users gives some assurance of a migration path in the event of company demise.
SOAPware’s lack of debt, independence from venture capital, and unique mission are the key reasons we can avoid obsolescence.
