athenahealth News & Views
So, Where Does It Hurt Now? In Your EHR or EMR? The OctoBeast Cartoon Caption Contest
In case you haven’t yet noticed, a gross sea creature has infiltrated our website. Maybe this slimy beast looks familiar because you just got back from the sushi bar or because one of the same has been lurking in your practice recently.
Vanquish the beast! Crush it with your slightly-too-heavy laptop! The eyes! Go for the eyes! Kill! Kill!
Whoops. OK. Let’s take a deep breath.
This is actually part our new advertising campaign and the OctoBeast is meant to embody the ever-lurking complexity and hassles and slow, costly EHRs that can drag a medical practice down into the murky depths of despair.
Before launching the campaign three weeks ago, we tested the concept with MDs to be sure it spoke to them and their pains. They were definitely intrigued, even startled at first glance but they immediately got it and began to describe the “beast” of payer complexity and government mandates and ANSI 5010 and other creeping threats to their livelihoods and peace of mind.
So rather than resort to cheap violence and risk trouble from HR, the cops or PETA, how about a few laughs? Take a look at this cartoon and put on your comedy writer cap.
Send back your funniest caption(s) in a comment to the blog. You can check out the competition in the comments section of this post and then stay tuned for the October issue of Pulse to see the winning caption. We’ve already had some real zingers come in from readers of the September issue of Pulse. If you don’t already read Pulse, subscribe now for the latest news from athenahealth.
And to learn more about the OctoBeast, check out this video, with our beast tamer-in-chief, Jonathan Bush.
Good luck!
What fun. Here’s my submission:
After Paul’s success picking World Cup champions, he moved on to where the real money was: predicting insurance claim outcomes.
Yes, doctor, I have been seeing large sea creatures. How did you know?
Don’t worry about him… he’s been distraught ever since we went ‘ink-less’.
“No insurance, you say? No problem! Now, before we get started, Pam…you did say you ARE an organ donor, correct?”
If you don’t mind, my 8 tentacled cephalopod Nurse Practitioner will be doing your exam today.
if he cant even tame the beast how could he possibly help me?
DOCTOR—”I sure do wish I had eight extra arms to complete all paperwork and insurance forms, then after it is all done I will be ALLOWED to treat you.”
WOMAN— “I think your wish just came true.”
DOCTOR— “No, he is just here to make sure I complete my work, not to help me to work.”
I’ll be with you in just a moment … after I complete all the required fields. By the time of your next appointment, things should be moving much more smoothly.
“To help you fully understand your condition I’ve brought in a patient in a more advanced stage to talk with you.”
I need to take all your information three times and submit it with a referral, an authorization and an original signature to the insurance company. It will take 30 days for a response and permission to treat.
Then you can perform the emergency apendectomy?
Oh, I’m not a medical doctor. I have my doctorate in insurance forms.