Cloud 9 Software vs. eClinicalWorks vs. TotalMD

Charting is easy. Clicking on all that tabs at each appointment. That makes it a lot quicker when charting. I would like to see a new tab to view X-rays. When I have to scroll through all the photos to view when we took the last x-rays, it’s a lot because we take photos at every appointment.

eClinicalWorks should be used in most medical situations. The program generally speaking works the way it should keeping track of patient records and the like. They have recently added an inpatient module for ASCs. Seems to work pretty well for smaller practices that don't require a lot of additional features or integrations.

Incentivized

To date, TotalMD EHR is being used in many specialties, including chiropractic, general surgery, home healthcare, mental health, internal medicine, family practice, plastic surgery, OB/GYN and alternative medicine. Because the system is available as both server-based (in-house system) or cloud-based, each practice may choose which option may better suit the way they care for patients, based on portability needs.

Incentivized

• Awesome support via chat and phone
• Rewards program
• Cloud based
• Multiple ways to do each task
• Personal customer experience
• User friendly software
• Offer online classes and yearly meetings
• Platform to make changes and requests - yes they implement the ideas frequently as well
• The training staff was outstanding!

• One of the strengths of ECW can also be a weakness depending on the user's perception. ECW has a lot of redundancies. There are multiple pathways to perform a task. It can be appealing to advanced computer users because of the versatility. I have found that it tends to confuse lesser experienced computer users.
• The creation of templates is very easy and any provider in our system can create one. It definitely makes documentation more efficient. By creating a set of templates for the clinic, we are able to standardize the orders/procedures along established guidelines.
• We have converted our scheduling to open access. ECW allows us to set the follow up time and the end of the visit and then an alert is created. Front office staff can run the report and schedule patients closer to the actual time. It has improved our no show/cancellation rates.

Incentivized

• Since TotalMD EHR is a completely integrated system with its TotalMD Practice Management and Patient Billing counterpart, the chance of data entry error across systems is minimized. Provider assessments translate directly to billing data, thus decreasing claim rejections, dramatically.
• Templates are quickly and easily customized by the provider, for any and all specialties, based on the way the provider works as opposed to the way programmers decide.
• Powerful tracking system allows providers to follow lab orders, medications, referral information and more, which enhances the ability to provide better care.

Incentivized

• I wish the check out process could be a little more simplified.
• I feel I do a lot more clicking with the mouse with opening and closing screens.
• When clicking on a patient in the schedule I wish it showed who I'm calling to verify and appointment without opening the patients chart.

• Meaningful Use Reports should be capturing data in real time and generated fairly quickly instead of the MAQ dashboard extraction process.
• Their support teams are not very helpful at certain topics such as the definition/logic of Meaningful Use calculations. These are generally difficult to determine but several cases in regards to Meaningful Use take several days before it gets addressed.
• Training videos would be helpful on their support website.

Incentivized

• Although third-party applications are available for smartphone access to certain information, we are hoping to see such applications developed directly by TotalMD, to continue with their all-in-one approach, which minimizes any chance of data error.
• Third-party biometric devices (fingerprint, retinal scan, etc.) can be utilized with the HL7 import capabilities of TotalMD. However, we would like to see such scanning devices created specifically for TotalMD. By doing so, the installation, configuration and support would be handled by one company, rather than a third party.

Incentivized

Easy to use!

If we had an option to easily switch to another EMR product we would. However, an EMR keeps you invested solidly in it - once you've started you're then going to be stuck with it. The investment into the data in the system are such that you have no real option to back out of what you are in and move into something else. Again, if we could, we would immediately move to another EMR. The ability to use it and be supported by the vendor has decreased nearly to the point of inability to use.

Incentivized

Easy peasy! Easy to navigate and start using from day one!

[In my opinion] the features allowed by the system are not designed for providers. [I think] the systems are inefficient, and new features tend to be "bolt on" features either as products purchased and added from other providers or simply a module created and strapped onto the software. There doesn't seem to be much idea around making things easier for the provider, though they like to state that provider burnout is something they are working on.

Incentivized

I often cannot assign a proper diagnosis under the assessment section; and as mentioned, sometimes (about once a month) the dictation just freezes because "the request has timed out" (even restarting the iPhone/ laptop does not help).

I have spoken to several support members along the way, and everyone is super helpful and exited to find a solution. Everyone is courtesy and patient. I had a problem that I could not figure out on my own and just with my description, I was given clear step by step instructions to get it solved!

You put in support cases through a support portal. [I believe] for no apparent reason, the company decided that their support cannot have access to actual patient records and as a result, it's required that they have to connect remotely to a computer system in our network, and log in as one of our users to do anything. This also entails that they are completely incapable of diagnosing problems and require significant amounts of user input and time to try and begin any sort of work on the problems. [In my opinion] this takes away from patient care and other concerns. Also, while you can put in as detailed a ticket as you want, when you are called, you have to go over the ticket again, as they don't seem to read or care what you put in, as it's more important to them to go over everything in painful detail. Often times you must explain to the tech how the process works. In the past month, we were upgraded overnight with zero warning, which caused issues the following day as we had to update every single computer in our network (over 300) and it requires administrative privileges so couldn't be done by a user. This also doesn't update any information in the programs list, so there's no way to tell whether the update happened or not.

Incentivized

Paid for training, did not help. They trained prior to go-live, but it was so long ahead that users weren't able to function well when it actually happened, they seemed unable to provide adequate support. [In my experience] further support is typically very boilerplate, and is thus not useful, and has additional cost.

Incentivized

Better training/trainors

It's very important to limit your schedule during the weeks after go live but it is equally important to have a resource that is the lead at the practice that ensures that milestones are met leading up to the go-live date. Someone must be the point person at the practice otherwise milestones will be missed and the implementation will run into problems.

Incentivized

The non-server version of Ortho2 we were already using would have cost a significant amount to merge our three separate office databases. Cloud 9 already had parameters set to be able to do this. All of our documents and images transferred over with just minor issues- like where would our online forms go that Cloud 9 did not have an automatic home for. Cloud 9, on the other hand, does not have nifty image layout options, their letter editor is a cranky non-Word program I do not like, and creating custom reports is definitely easier in Ortho2.

I was attracted by the final note format of ECW. I said then and still say that most EMR's clinical notes are terrible to try to read and follow in orderly fashion by comparison...BUT the devil is in the data entry and that is where "you live" as a clinician. Incredibly frustrating software because of inflexibility and restrictions of multi level data fields that can only be opened one at a time (i.e. no "toggling" between windows... ooen read and close...then reopen other data entry window....then close and repeat if you need to refer back to original window of data. This applies throughout the software and is due to its reliance on SQL architecture from what I have been told). Kills productivity.

[We assessed] bringing on another product to our lineup (previously we were top national resellers of Medisoft and AltaPoint). However, TotalMD quickly became our flagship product, as it has proven to have the lowest maintenance/support requirements, the easiest to learn for both practitioners as well as support personnel and is the most affordable (most bang-for-the-buck) for our clients. Supporting over a thousand clients throughout the US, Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico for the past 23 years, we always hold our clients' best interests in mind.

Incentivized

• We could access everything from home during Covid shutdowns since it’s cloud based.
• Negative would be more time editing photos & more clicks to get to things.
• It has also made billing and insurance claims easier.

• I will just share one area that our organization saw the ROI in a very short time period. That is the elimination of a dictation service for most of our specialty group doctors when we introducec Dragon Medical. This functionality brought a tangible benefit and a significant ROI in a short time period.

Incentivized

• Since TotalMD is one of the few EHR systems on the market today, that does not have a required annual (and usually very pricey) support agreement, its fast user implementation time requirement and the many error cross-checking systems, the ROI for most practices, can be seen in a few months.
• Data conversion from several software systems (Medisoft, AltaPoint, Lytec and Visionary) are typically included at no cost, saving many practices thousands of dollars when they switch from a lesser product. The technical team at TotalMD can convert data from most any other product at very reasonable rates.

Incentivized