IHCS Expands Nationwide as Only Certified Mississippi-Based EHR Provider

When Barbara Gray needed an electronic health records (EHR) system for the North Street Family Medical Center in Jackson, she didn’t have to look far.

Integrated Health Care Solutions (IHCS), the only Mississippi-based EHR provider, was located in the same city. However, the 60-year-old office manager was apprehensive about the potential downtime involved in implementing a new system and troubleshooting problems after the installation was completed.

“The first question potential clients normally ask is about the implementation process,” IHCS CEO Joe Powell. “The staff is concerned it will slow them down. The doctors are concerned about initially seeing fewer patients. They believe the conversion may be complicated and difficult and take longer in the clinic to get up and running. They’re pleasantly surprised that none of their concerns have merit with our system.”

After acquiring IHCS’s Vehracity EHR software, the North Street Family Medical Center staff was pleased. “This is a top-notch program … very user-friendly,” said Gray, office manager for the medical center. Compared to competitors, IHCS “had everything we needed … for a small percentage of the cost. They say you get what you pay for, but in this particular instance, we got more than we paid for.”

Gray, who was on the forefront of computer integration, said, “I’ve dealt with computer folks a long time … and they don’t speak a language a common person can understand. Customer service (with IHCS) on a scale of 1 to 10, I’d rate it a 9.99. That’s as high as I rate anything. If I needed the answer now, I got it now.”

IHCS was established in 2007 initially as a spinoff from another software development company to focus on medical software specializing in mental health.

“We focus on long-term relationships with our customers and the only way to achieve long-term relationships is to deliver the highest quality solution with superior support at the lowest possible cost,” said Powell, noting that the company principals who initiated IHCS are seasoned technology professionals working with national and multi-national companies across many industries to improve and re-engineer work processes.

Since its formation, IHCS has expanded its medical software development business to the healthcare industry across the board. Last December, its Vehracity electronic healthcare records (EHR) software received national certification, enabling medical practices that use the software to potentially receive federal stimulus funding.

“This was an important milestone for our company,” said Powell. “It’s been apparent for years that the widespread adoption of electronic health records by clinics and physicians’ offices could vastly increase the healthcare sector’s efficiency and drive savings. With this certification, another barrier, namely the cost of adoption, has been lowered.”

Powell said the process of being certified was definitely rigorous, “but we’re thrilled to be the only Mississippi-based company with software developed in Mississippi to be certified thus far. This designation allows us to compete on a national basis and bring a fresh solution that removes a huge administrative burden from physicians. With a well-designed and implemented EHR, they can have more time to focus on providing quality healthcare for their patients.”

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, medical offices and clinics that adopt a certified EHR solution and meet some additional conditions may qualify for up to $44,000 per physician for implementation. The goal is to spur efficiency in physicians’ offices and clinics and improve interactions with government agencies, thereby improving patient care and reining in costs.

“Vehracity is an excellent electronic health records system that provided a near seamless transition from paper records to digital data,” said Kenneth Yung, MD, a pediatrician with Capital City Children’s Clinic in Jackson. “I’ve had several experiences with EHRs in medical school and residency, and Vehracity is by far the most flexible and intuitive system I’ve seen.”

By automating much of the time-consuming tasks of creating, filing, storing and managing patient medical records, billing data, and work orders, the Vehracity EHR software helps physicians and clinics manage their patient records, practices and cash flow. The most impressive, unique attribute the software brings to the practice is that it adapts to the way a physician practices medicine, rather than requiring the physician to adapt to the software, said Yung.

For now, Powell doesn’t have his eye on developing a software system for hospitals.

“We offer a superior solution to doctor’s offices and we can compete with any national player,” he said. “We’re going to stick to that niche.”

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