The POSP (Physician Office System Program) is of great interest here in Alberta as it is creating an opportunity for Jonoke and its Value Added Resellers. This program designed by the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) and Alberta Health and Wellness (AHW) is designed to support the implementation of systems, which help promote professional development, knowledge management, and practice management. There are four primary program activities; financial assistance to physicians in the program, change management assistance as physicians convert, inclusions of vendors in offer, and program evaluation. There are two levels to the program; level one consists of clinics with little to no IT, or intention there of, to get involved with the PIN (Pharmaceutical Information Network). Level 2 involves using both PIN and EMR (Electronic Medical Records). As MediFile provides a full EMR system Physicians applying for Level 2 are most likely to be interested in MediFile.
A similar type program will be being implemented in many more provinces in the months and years to come. This will provide any Value Added Reseller of MediFile to have an influx of business when these programs do get implemented. The idea would be to establish yourselves before, as many companies like to jump on the bandwagon when these types of programs are offered.
The following document, released in the summer of 2001, gives an overview of the POSP program for physicians.
The annual reference price has been established. (A reference price refers to the amortized total cost of ownership of the hardware and software, averaged across vendors and technologies.)
This reference price will be cost-shared between the program (70%) and participating physicians (30%). The cost-share approach reflects the fact that some of the benefits to be reaped from automation accrue to physicians and some to the provincial health care system. The annual cost-share breakout will be:
Level One: POSP pays $1,050 per annum, per physician
Level Two: POSP pays $7,000 per annum, per physician
The program will disburse these funds on a monthly basis via electronic fund transfer.
The program will not cover costs such as lost productivity during installation and training time for staff. A change management component, however, is to be offered by the program to assist you with addressing the impacts of office automation in your practice. The details of this component are being established.
The program is “outcome based,” which means that funding approval is based upon whether or not you agree to meet the outcomes specified by the program. The outcomes will be based, in part, on the level for which you are applying. Details of program outcomes will be provided as soon as they have been determined.
The outcomes-based approach means that physicians who have already invested in hardware and software may be eligible for funding – if you meet the criteria.
Defined standards, including required vendor support and service, will be developed for electronic medical records and the other components of levels one and two. You will have flexibility in the products and services that you can use to meet the program outcomes. As part of delivering the information technology component of POSP, alberta we//net is investigating common purchasing/bulk discount rate opportunities.
Program services will offer change management support through the entire automation process, including assistance with assessing the automation decision, during the installation of products and services as requested by the physician, and follow-up support.
A dedicated program director will be hired early this fall to oversee day-to-day operations of the program. We anticipate that a team of individuals with expertise in information technology and practice management will be available to assist with your implementation decision.
Administration support, including inquiry lines, web-based communication and application/reimbursement will be housed with the AMA.
The program director will report to the joint POSP Subcommittee
A fundamental of the POSP is that the physician should have the time you need to make informed decisions – and the program will provide tools to help you with that process.
Applications will be accepted beginning October 1 for the fiscal year 2001-2002. A further reminder for applications will be issues on April 1, 2002 for the 2002-2003 fiscal year.
Please keep in mind that not all program offerings will be in place October 1; we expect Level One to be first offered April 2002.
Any qualified physician who meets the outcomes is eligible for funding. The program has limited funds and options for potential over-subscription are being researched. The oversubscription options, however, will not preclude applications made later in the program. Again, we encourage you to take the time you need to make an informed decision.
This is the first in a series of bulletins from the Joint AMA/Alberta Health and Wellness POSP Subcommittee. Further communication will occur a variety of ways, which may include:
Information about the program will be made available by electronic AND paper-based means.
www.albertawellnet.org/pos.html
If you have questions regarding the POSP, you can contact the program by email: posp@albertawellnet.org. Staff will respond as soon as possible. By phone, call (780) 482-2626 or toll-free 1-800-272-9680 This bulletin contains the best available information on the Physician Office System Program, but is subject to change without notice.
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