Why SSL?

Sterling Solutions, Ltd. spends hundreds of hours annually reviewing electronic medical record and practice management software. We have reviewed products from more than 150 vendors including national and local vendors of practice management, medical record, and claims processing software. Because we spend 100 percent of our time working on the selection and implementation of medical record and billing systems, we know what the products do, how they do it and the development issues associated with implementing new features. Due to our particular expertise and knowledge, we have served clients in over 30 states.

The selection and installation of technology is one of the most expensive and risky moves your practice can undertake. Additionally, the hidden personnel, training, and use costs can dwarf the cost of the system. Your computer system will affect every patient, provider, employee and referring practice.
Over 400 electronic medical records and over 1,000 practice management software options for you to consider. Which of these systems can meet your tactical and strategic needs? How can you assure yourself that the system you do choose will be properly implemented to enhance patient management and services?

When it comes to selecting an EMR or billing system, many organizations do not have the expertise they need to make the right choice and successfully install this important business tool.  When faced with a once in 5 year or more decision, do you want to take it upon yourself to duplicate the experience and knowledge that is uniquely available through Sterling Solutions?  How much time will your management, doctors and employees have to invest to support this effort?  When faced with similar business and practice challenges such as tax returns, financial statements, contracts, and office designs, does the practice proceed without the expertise you need to achieve your goals?

If given enough time, you could duplicate our expertise. However, few practices, clinics, or physician groups can afford the luxury of dedicating someone to learning about hardware, software products, implementation strategies, and other skills needed to successfully install and employ computers to meet your needs on at timely basis.  From thinking a system could handle a particular requirement, to a contract term that had an undesirable impact, many organizations experience problems with their systems.  Sterling Solutions has solved the problems and helped our clients benefit from their investment in technology:

• Sterling Solutions helped a large practice select a new EMR product in six months after the practice had expended a significant amount of time over a 2 year period without achieving success.
• Sterling Solutions evaluated a proposed system upgrade that included unnecessary hardware that inflated the cost of the project by over $100,000.
• Sterling Solutions reorganized an implementation effort that achieved completion in four months after the practice and vendor had not made progress for a 9 month period.
• Sterling Solutions has supported a number of mergers of medical practices.  The projects included merging of information from multiple practices into a combined group.
• Sterling Solutions provided critical analysis and critiques of an EMR implementation effort.  Our efforts resulted in changes to the plan that saved time and money, and reduced risk.
• Sterling Solutions negotiated contract terms that eliminated unfavorable terms and, as important, eliminated HIPAA Security and Privacy risks that the software vendor was creating for the practice.
• Sterling Solutions acted as a client advocate and visionary on the design of clinical content for a specialty practice.
• Sterling Solutions renegotiated a purchase agreement for a large group.  By reverse engineering the vendor's pricing strategy, we were able to prove that the standard pricing mechanism distorted the client’s bills.  Our effort saved over $400,000 for the group.
• Sterling Solutions negotiated a contract for an MSO that eliminated over $100,000 in costs through a more efficient database strategy, and deferred over $75,000 in additional software costs. Sterling Solutions negotiated an agreement that locked in pricing for software add-ons until the client was ready to implement the features.

Sterling Solutions helps you avoid the problems faced by practices that lack the experience working with health care information technologies. From selecting a system, to negotiating a results oriented contract, we have helped physician practices select and install a system that effectively serves and manages patients as well as improves operations and financial performance.
The evolving health care environment is continually putting new demands on practices. Information systems need to be able to meet these demands now and in the future. We are confident that Sterling Solutions can help you through this difficult process in order to come out on the winning end of technology.