Mac EMR Software | 2011 Guide to Medical Software for Apple Computers

There’s another way that is new. Citrix has a special program that runs on the Ipad that allows the virtual windows desktop to run on the Ipad. That may be a way to do it more in the future as the touch OS gets more popular and spreads through the Mac line in more creative ways. Check it out by Googling Citrix.

@ Mark

Thanks for the heads up. I snuck in a mention of remote access in the article but Citrix access is definitely another option.

What about “Open EMR”? And it’s free!

Chris – Thanks for the compilation of available products. It is interesting to think that the current products out there really have a leg up on future competitors. With the financial incentives turning into penalties in 2015, medical facilities will be urged to select and implement EMRs quickly.

I followed up with extra comments in a blog article: http://blog.amistaff.net/incentives-for-adoption-causing-hasty-emr-decisions/

Hope you can check it out!

Another option is to use Microsoft’s free Remote Desktop Connection, which allows you to connect to a Windows Server without the CPU overhead of running VMWare or Parallels. Citrix is similar (more fully featured I think).

These Apps let you run most ‘Windows’ programs, including Greenway, Allscripts, etc.

You can also run RDC or Citrix on the iPad, which is really a slick solution.

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/remote-desktop/default.mspx

http://www.citrix.com/English/ss/downloads/details.asp?downloadId=1862769&productId=163057&c1=ost12726

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/citrix-receiver/id313735334?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/remote-desktop-lite/id288362576?mt=8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_Desktop_Protocol

Succinct article. Thank you.

Another option is to run an IVO Appliance which allows for HIPAA-compliant, secure desktop virtualization and remote access for both work inside and outside the facility. Far less cumbersome and expensive than Citrix or VMware (and without the multiple OS licensing and instances sitting on an additional server somewhere), the IVO Appliance will allow access on any machine, regardless of the end machines capabilities (even on a 486 running Windows 95 with 128 MB of RAM), but, most notably for you, even across Safari on a Mac. I personally run IVO sessions on IE (6,7 & 8), Safari, Opera and Chrome.

The curse of Terminal Server in the medical environment is that the applications are so thick that if two people push “ENTER” at the same time, the system bogs down due to CPU Utilization issues.

IVO Appliance addresses all those issues at a fraction of the cost of Citrix or VMware while alleviating the technical limitations of MS TS (MS Terminal Server).

Chris, thank you for this helpful article. We are seeing an increasing number of Mac users sign up for the Valant EMR due, in part, to its web-based nature. In the interest of being completely transparent, I would like to add that customers who choose to add on our ePrescribing module must be able to run Internet Explorer on their computer. This is because our ePrescribing partner currently only supports IE – something we are hoping to change in the near future. So for the time being, our Mac ePrescribing customers use another one of your suggested methods: running virtual PC software on their computer. We have found that Parallels works well for this purpose. You can find more information about the Valant EMR at http://info.valantmed.com

You did not list our product as a native Mac product, which it is. Many of our physicians use Macs in their office or their home, We are the market leader in Urology EHR with over 800 Urologists and have a superb product for General Surgeons (a few have Macs and we will be interfacing to MacPractice PM)Breast Surgeons, Bariatrics, etc.

The most inexpensive IVO appliance is $4000 I dont see how that is “a fraction of the cost” I have been using terminal server on Windows server for years with no bottlenck problems! Maybe that is a solution for a very large office/hospital but I am sure they have an it department.

I run a billing company and have one client that is leaving because they want a MAC EMR. I’m looking for a solution that would allow the MAC EMR to interface with our windows based billing. Any suggestions. I know that Springcharts does this with an X Link interface.

practice fussion uses flash and hence i was told not good to use on mac’s?

You missed the single most popular Mac-based EMR: the DrChrono iPad EMR! Apple has been featuring it on its website for months now. It was the first EMR to run natively on the iPad (launched on April 24).

Check out https://drchrono.com for more information.

As an update to Soraya’s comment, we are now with a new ePrescribing partner, Dr. First, that allows our product to be web browser neutral. Our customers no longer need to use Parallels if they wish to use the product on a Mac.

Also of note, Valant is now certified as a complete EMR.

Hi Houston,
Nice post on iPad EMRs. They are easier to use and physicians like them! (the ones we speak to do) We added to the conversation with a post on mobile independence and security.

http://presinet.squarespace.com/blog/2011/4/27/ipads-in-health-care-need-security.html

Hope this is interesting!

the only issue with citrix (we currently run EMDs using a citrix client) is that you can not print using citrix using the iPad.

the only issue with citrix (we currently run EMDs using a citrix client) is that you can not print using citrix using the iPad.

Has anyone had luck with NextGen on the Mac or I pad?

While I appreciate Jo Surich’s want to contribute, I don’t see how his article contributed to the conversation.  It seems rather obvious that customization and security are essential to optimize EMR speed and connectivity.  Many of the EMR’s mentioned have some of these capabilities.  However, MediTouch EHR is the only EHR/EMR on the market that is web-based, cross-compatible, MU and security certified, with customizable templates, and optimized for finger-tip touch on the Apple iPad and iPad 2. 

Actually, HealthFusion’s MediTouch EHR is a web-based, iPad native EHR that is also cross-compatible with other operating systems and hardware solutions.  MediTouch EHR was Meaningful Use Certified before DrChrono was released on the market.  And, up until recently the DrChrono app was essentially a toy, since it had no certification it would need to be run in conjunction with an MU certified EHR — completely eroding any mobility benefits.  It seems to me that the ideal solution would be an EHR that is iPad native, with nothing to download — allowing for web-based cross-compatibility.

Just like Houston says, “Web-based EMRs are the best long-term investment for doctors using Macs”

Check out MediTouch EHR for more information.

Great article highlighting the Mac compatible options for EMR systems. There are still some limitations though that cannot be overcome but this may only effect sup specialists such as myself who have ancillary testing devices that have viewing/analyzing software that is Windows only. For me, who is currently on a web-based EMR for Ophthalmology, although it easily displays static images of pdf printouts from ancillary testing devices, I need to view the raw data for optic nerve scans and visual field tests on Windows only apps. This leaves me with either running VMWare Fusion or Parallels on my Mac or forget about running the Mac OS at all on my Mac. So, we have many options but it is still a Windows world, with all its faults, for medicine for many of us…even Mac enthusiasts such as myself.

As far as the best EMR software goes, there seems to be some debate on it. Medical software is rapidly growing- there is bound to be something new that comes up that is better than before.

I’ve been using Meditouch/Healthfusion for almost a year. (This EMR clearly was not designed with input from Physicians who actually practice clinical medicine, I’m suspicious if they even completed an internship.) User Interface (like all EMRs) lags 15 years behind the technology that McDonald’s uses for its checkout registers.Not intuitive to use. Difficult to modify. If this is the best EMR to run on an IPAD or MacOS, then its just a matter of (a little time) for a better option to be out soon.

I have to take exception to your singling out of Safari as “Apple’s proprietary web browser”. On what basis would you say that? 
It is simply ridiculous to call Safari proprietary when virtually every browser is. Is Firefox not? Is Internet Explorer not? Is Opera not?
Safari is offered on Windows as well as Mac, and iOS devices

Thanks for your comment. While Safari can be used on Windows, it is specifically licensed under Apple. Our intent was not to call Safari the only proprietary web browser. It is simply Apple’s only propriety browser.

Hello,
I am joining an Ob/Gyn practice that is set up with Allscript’s EMR on PC’s.  I would like to use a MAC in this office.  Any advice?
Thanks,
Jamie Ramsey, MD

HealthFusion was founded and is still run by physicians, and MediTouch EHR was designed and built with their direct input. As for your McDonald’s argument, I’m not too sure where you’re going with it. But if UI lagged 15 years behind the technology then we’d still be commenting on Prodigy message boards and EHRs would not exist.

HealthFusion’s medical and engineering teams work in unison, constantly upgrading
software and increasing iPad compatibility; routinely enhancing the
user interface, and increasing the overall speed and performance of MediTouch EHR.  MediTouch is easy to intuitive, interoperable, and easy to modify.  
 
If you truly use MediTouch EHR, and are having difficulties with the software we would be more than happy to help as always.  There are live, free, daily training webinars where you can get one-on-one assistance and have all of your questions answered.  The schedule is available on our social media pages, or contact us directly with a support case. 

Are there any EMR’s out there that would work for a mental health inpatient facility?

I’m interested if any of the MAC compatible EMR’s have an EKG component, both acquiring and reading. I have yet to find a solution for my mobile practice. I purchased a compact, mobile EKG machine with great read software, but it only intermittently works on my mac notebook using VM ware. My IT consultants have advised that I make the switch to microsoft, which of course, requires all new hardware. Any suggestions?

Depending on how old your Mac is, you may still be able to run Windows natively without new hardware.

I just was at a conference this past week and Valant now runs on a mac, too.

you can install win7 to your mac…