News & Events

Value-Driven Health Care Expert Dr. James Grue Joins EMRlogic, Expert on Optometry Pay-for-Performance and New Stimulus Bill

Dr. Grue is now EMRlogic VP of Connected Care and Clinical Outcomes
Image Manager Software Now OD Professional Connected Care Cornerstone

Vancouver, BC – March 23, 2009.   EMRlogic, providers of OD Professional, optometry’s premier high-end software solution, today announced that well known industry leader James Grue, O.D. will join its executive team, serving as Vice President of Connected Care and Clinical Outcomes.   As the creator of the popular Image Consultant software, Dr Grue is an industry expert in how new “connected care technologies” will become a critical part of mandated solutions for the future of optometry.   Dr. Grue is a frequent industry speaker on how best to prepare for government-driven changes such as value-driven care and pay-for-performance, as well as on government assistance in the new stimulus bill for upgrading health IT solutions.  Dr. Grue’s expertise in these areas will help shape the future of OD Professional products and related services, especially ActiveEHRs.

“Dr. Grue has worked with us for two years already in a consulting capacity.  We integrated Image Consultant into OD Professional, as part of our ImageManager solution,” said Alistair Jackson, VP Sales at EMRlogic.  “More important, Jim brought us his incomparable insight into health care reform and what it means to thrive in optometry as a provider in the changing health care world.  With Dr. Grue’s help as a consultant, EMRlogic abandoned its legacy EMR – the traditional paper chart on a computer screen that you find in alternative software – and built a totally new solution from scratch.  Today, our revolutionary ActiveEHRs are a testament to the sage advice and creative insight of Dr. Grue, and we are thrilled now to offer the most advanced electronic health record solution available in the optometry marketplace.”

“My goal has always been to reach the industry as a whole with clinical solutions that improve patient care but that also upgrade a doctor's practice,” comments Dr. Grue.  “Too many older-style EHRs – even in supposedly new products – can slow down exam time and distract the doctor from the kind of interaction that builds patient loyalty.  I really feel that ActiveEHRs are a much needed breakthrough from the past.  Increasingly driving the need for new solutions is the flurry of activity in Washington, where optometry is quickly moving out of an island of care to become more integrated into a core component of the nation’s primary care solution.  My time spent in Washington, DC watching and understanding health care reform led me to seek out innovative vendors who could build needed new solutions.  That’s what attracted me to EMRlogic – OD Professional is built on the platform that supports half of health care across the USA, including Johns Hopkins where I spend a lot of time, and the VA’s VistA system.  With that kind of footprint, I know ODPro will thrive in the coming transformation in optometry where traditional big-name players with older technologies are clearly at risk.  There’s a bright future at EMRlogic and I’m very happy to become a bigger part of it.”

James Grue, O.D. and Alistair Jackson, M.Ed. have written extensively about PQRI, Pay for Performance and Value-Driven Health Care.  Their white papers and articles are available on the EMRlogic website (www.emrlogic.com).  They have been frequent presenters at EHRs seminars and workshops and are considered to be among the eye care industry’s thought leaders in this domain.

«back