In order to effectively implement the Affordable Care Act, the federal government incentivized mass migration to electronic medical records. By implementing data standards, Medicare and Medicaid would save millions in administrative costs. However, the implementation costs of converting individual records, frequently still paper-based, to large EMR software systems were prohibitive for small clinics and individual offices. As part of the EMR program, more than $16 billion was allocated in costs to help individual clinics shoulder the financial burden of the upgrade. Health care providers who did not upgrade would be penalized with decreasing Medicare reimbursement rates.
Ochsner itself had chosen market leader EPIC as its new EHR software. This software system is in use by many of the nation’s leading healthcare companies. In addition to an upgrade of their own system, Ochsner saw an opportunity to bring many unaffiliated clinics under their wing by offering to foot the bill for system upgrades if the clinic would join their network.
Carrollton directly handled more than 17 hospitals and over 50 clinic transitions to EPIC, while folding them into the larger umbrella of the Ochsner network. This included documentation of all hardware systems, software installations, and upgrades to match and improve existing business processes.
Because of Carrollton’s position as an external vendor, they were able to help Ochsner’s executive staff ensure a smooth and effective transition. Carrollton created Ochsner’s first technology warehouse, where computers, cables, and other hardware was worked on and stored before installation
Carrollton continues to provide ongoing IT support for more than 50 individual health clinics in the Ochsner network through its sister company, Carrollton Tech (now AC3IT).
