And Sammy Walked In

The title of today's post is also the title to a fantastic Latin-Jazz tune by the incredible pianist Michel Camilo. If you want to forget about EHR, MU and podiatry for a few minutes and get lost in a virtuoso performance of Latin-Jazz, go HERE.  The significance of the title is that I am going to take a look at Sam Notes EHR, which is part of the Sammy Systems software for podiatry developed by ICS Software LTD.

ICS Software has been in the software business since 1986. During that time they have remained under the same ownership and committed to podiatry. That’s a pretty good track record, and if you are currently a satisfied user of their practice management software Sammy, it just makes sense to go with their EHR product. In my opinion, any time you can stick with what works, you will be ahead of the game. If you are just starting out in the hunt for a podiatry specific EHR, then Sam Notes EHR certainly deserves investigating.

I will give you my impression of Sam Notes EHR, but in fairness, I have never used the program and I have not had a demo of the program. My experience is limited to what I’ve seen on their web site. Fortunately, the web site is quite informative. In addition to a video or two, there is a collection of PDF files for download which are quite helpful. These range from patient intake forms, to tips on getting claims paid. Their expertise in podiatry is a definite advantage over some other software vendors.

My impression of Sam Notes EHR from watching the above video is that it is lacking in the visual appeal department. The screens look outdated and the color scheme could use an overhaul. Of course looks aren’t everything and if the program does what you need it to do, then that may be all that is important. For me, if I’m going to be staring at screen everyday for hours on end, my preference leans toward a more modern look. I like buttons that look 3D, text boxes with drop-shadows, and soft color gradients filling up parts of the screen instead of just a boring solid color. It looks like Sam Notes EHR was made using the 16 color palette that heralds back to the pre-Windows days of MS-DOS. Again, a personal preference and not a requirement if the program functions the way you need it to function. I also notice that there is quite a bit of mouse clicking going on. This is actually an advantage if you are using a touch screen or a tablet computer with a stylus. I find it quicker to dictate using Dragon rather than doing all that clicking, and fortunately Sam Notes EHR will let you do that as well.

The feature list is impressive and the fact that they are tailored to podiatry is another plus in their column. The built-in fax server is a nice feature, and the “Sammy University” online resource is very good. In addition, I’ve heard other podiatrists speak highly of the program. My main gripe with Sam Notes EHR is the lack of modernization of the program screens. I think an updated look would be a step in the right direction to make this Sammy a virtuoso performer and increase the appeal of Sam Notes EHR dramatically. Be sure to check out the Sam Notes EHR website. 

That concludes today's post. Future posts include a breakdown of some of my EHR implementation expenses, more on my EHR decision process, and a look at TrakNet EHR.