Speak Out: What kind of technology or software would you recommend to your colleagues?

First, once you get it set up, most of my partners agree, it is a more efficient way to handle medications, prescriptions, and refills.

Second, there's such a large government Medicare bonus that's going to be paid back to people who use it that you're really foolish not to look at that.

"We use a product called Greenway Prime Suite (Carrollton, GA). From an administrative standpoint, it's fantastic. When you get right down to it, a lot of the EMRs are billing and appointment systems. For a guy in solo practice, that's good.

One problem is it's not a urology-specific package. As a consequence, it requires a lot of upfront time to make templates. I've had it for 2 years and have been able to adapt it to what I need. Like all these things, it's not perfect, but it works."
Dominick Carbone, MD
Elkin, NC

"We have not gone into EMRs yet because of cost considerations. We are trying to incorporate some other technologies.

The main piece of technology I use is the smartphone. I have a Droid [Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL] and can get on the Web and use an online medication database, Epocrates, which has been pretty helpful. I'm able look up medications my patients are on and check drug interactions and side effects.

I'm also utilizing a medical scribe pilot program. The scribes are young people who want to go to medical school who are hired by a company that trains them to input medical data for the doctor. Basically, they follow me into the room, I introduce them to the patient, and then, without having to write or dictate, I can start talking to the patient.

They have a template on the computer to input the history and all kinds of data, plus the physical findings I call out as I examine the patient. I can instantly send an e-mail or fax on the note I've generated. It's really made me much more efficient."
Stanley A. Myers, MD
Portland, OR

"Like everyone else, I use Google, but I don't really use software.

I've been in practice a long time, and I've used a number of different systems. I have used EMRs in the past and I wouldn't pan them, but they really have not been that useful for me."
Robert G. Harris
Santa Clara, CA

Karen Nash is a medical reporter and media consultant based in Sioux Falls, SD.