premonition12, With regard to Instacare's EHR technology...
...the MDS Hand product, software, etc., my understanding is that, up to now, they have only been the primary technology developer. And additional development will be required to get it to market. I don't see any plan emerging to sell this technology DIRECTLY to hospitals, clinics, doctors, etc. As a matter of fact I would be astonished if they even tried that. They are actually engaged in trying to find one or more partners, so as to license it to 3rd parties who will take it to market.
This is all well documented. So you are bringing something completely new and fully outside of the scope of Instacares stated plans, as they have described them.
The 10Q of 8/18/2010 states specifically:
"We have received seven inquiries from companies interested in partnering with the company for the implementation of its cell phone centric technologies MD@Hand and MD@Work. The interested companies range from clinical testing laboratories, service organizations owned or aligned with medical health insurers, a medical content provider and legacy healthcare systems companies. All seven companies are much larger than instaCare. We have chosen one of these companies as a proposed partner and are in wide ranging discussions. We plan at least one additional proposed partnership."
Given the path that Instacare has described and assumed to be following, I see NO possible "competitive disadvantage" for not having these things you have pointed out as missing. Clearly, they don't need any of that. The actual product rollout, when it happens, will be through one or more of their chosen distributors, "companies ... much larger than instaCare." I believe that is absolutely the best way to proceed. And there will be no possibility of a "competitive disadvantage" because they won't be involved in the marketing aspect. It is strictly a licensing deal.
They have yet to identify just who the distributor will be. But I am sure it will be a company of good industry stature and experience, and better equipped to enter this new EHR industry; a company that ALREADY has the means to be successful right from the start. Undoubtedly that company will have to deal with the issues of certification, sales, etc. that you mention. But InstaCare will NOT. That is the whole idea of having a partner; to establish a division of labor and responsibility.
You and I (and others) may differ on this opinion, but I do not see the EHR business as an immediate concern since the market has not matured and there is substantial work left to be done on the regulation and certification front. It will probably get going next spring.
For InstaCare the real excitement is surrounding the Genstrip product rollout which is happening NOW. Realistically, this will probably bring at least $10 million in revenue BEFORE the EHR product rollout.
Good Luck.
VV
