On October 5, 2012, Allscripts notified its MyWay clients that advancements in the current platform would be required in order to prepare for Meaningful Use Stage 2 and for ICD-10 conversion. ICD-10 code sets, officially known as the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition diagnosis and procedure codes, will include codes for new procedures and diagnosis that improve the quality of information available for quality improvement and payment purposes. Also, by putting into action and meaningfully using an EHR system, clinicians will reap benefits beyond financial incentives–such as reduction in errors, availability of records and data, reminders and alerts, clinical decision support, and e-prescribing/refill automation.

In its client notification, Allscripts announced a “free upgrade program to migrate all MyWay clients to a new converged platform that leverages the Professional Suite.” The announcement has been posted on the Health Care Management blog at http://healthcaremgt.net/blog/tag/allscripts/.

Bloomberg and other sources have reported that Allscripts’ stock climbed recently with the possibility that the company will sell itself to a private equity buyer.

The NCMS is monitoring these developments and is collecting data about how many members this upgrade announcement may affect. Please take a moment to respond to a very brief survey about your current EHR/EMR system.