How Would You Spend $100 Million?

Matt Mattox | Axial Exchange | January 29, 2013

Picture one hundred million dollars. 1,000 units of $100,000. Health systems routinely spend that much on a new EHR system. Keep in mind that EHRs are software systems that no one seems to love, that have dubious impact on care quality, and that are fundamentally ill-suited for the patient-centric future of healthcare.

Nevertheless, some EHR vendors are basking in an epic windfall of cash that you and I are funding.

After all, where do hospitals get $100M to spend on software projects? From our taxes (Medicare, Medicaid), from our insurance premiums (which often means lower salaries), and our out-of-pocket charges. If we were able to spend the $100M directly on improving our community's health, how might we spend it?..