Web based electronic health record (HER) companies are on a roll. Startup such as Practice Fusion and its rivals including Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Epic Systems, and McKesson have seen explosive growth recently. This is a direct result of the 2009 legislation that is designed to speed up digitization of the entire healthcare industry not just the doctor’s office. The legislation provides incentives as well as imposes fines. The digitization of the United States healthcare industry provides enormous opportunities for software companies because the sector has not being keeping up with the data evolution.
The field of medical data worries many who express concerns over privacy and data security. Some sites allow patients to post reviews of their doctor which has created more controversy from doctors who opposed to the idea. New services are crowding the field and many cut prices for IT services and products. However, many ancillary services such as diagnostic laboratories, X-ray services and pharmacies are looking for ways to hook up with doctors see the service as an essential part of their business. New healthcare mandates as they come on line will be sure to create more demand for digitizing the medical records industry.