Stimulus bill gives life to new EHR-selection consulting firms

The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which promises potential incentives of as much as $64,000 for physicians who adopt an electronic health record system, may have spawned a new cottage industry: EHR selection consultants.

Houston-based Encore Health Resources launched an advisory firm claiming knowledge of "the federal requirements and timelines to qualify for the healthcare information technology incentive plan," according to a company announcement.

Atlanta-based mPacts, an IT consultant since 2005, issued a statement proclaiming it is "ready to help hospitals and physician practices build their IT infrastructure, assess their workflow, and choose the best EMR vendor for their practice."