Brightree integrates with physician system

ATLANTA - A groundbreaking strategic agreement with athenahealth, a provider of cloud-based electronic health record (EHR), practice management and care coordination services, will give Brightree's provider customers a leg up, company officials say.

The agreement means Brightree's and athenahealth's systems will talk to each other, streamlining the ordering and referring system for HME, home infusion and home health services for both providers and physicians.

“By forming this agreement, we're making our customers easy for physicians to do business with and increasing their referrals,” said Chris Watson, the chief marketing officer at Brightree.

While at least one other software provider has forged a similar agreement (DMEhub and Aprima Medical Software), Brightree has reeled in a big fish: athenahealth, a public company, has about 15,000 physicians using its EHR services, a number that's growing 30% a year.

In addition to an increased number of referrals, Brightree's provider customers can expect a shortened billing cycle as a result of the agreement, company officials say.

“When you're taking orders over the phone, it takes 20 to 25 days for the order to take,” said President and CEO Dave Cormack.

The agreement positions Brightree and its provider customers on the cutting edge of efforts to not only digitize health care but also tighten up the continuum of care.

“We're seeing the consequences of not doing this in the form of the penalties for readmission of patients,” Watson said. “Overall, this allows for the patient to have a more positive experience and for less disruption across care systems.”