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Insights & Analysis
Perspectives on technology, operational efficiency, and building systems that actually work.
The HL7 Interoperability Push Changes Everything for Multi-Location Groups
What this week's device connectivity standard means for your practice consolidation timeline
- HL7 interoperability standards will eliminate custom integration costs ($50K–$200K annually per location) within 18 months by forcing vendors to use common data formats. - You'll finally build a tech stack by mixing best-of-breed tools instead of buying bundled systems; swapping one vendor won't require rebuilding everything else. - This week, search your vendor contracts for "FHIR" and email your account rep requesting their HL7 FHIR roadmap in writing to assess their commitment.
Southwest Airlines Flies One Plane. Your Practice Should Too.
The operational genius of radical standardization
- **Multi-system practices waste $80K+ annually on training, duplicate data entry, and vendor coordination—consolidating to one platform recovers roughly $30K yearly in staff productivity alone.** - **The fastest-growing independent dermatology groups aren't adding tools; they're consolidating existing ones, freeing up 18+ hours weekly of administrative time without hiring additional staff.** - **This week, list every system your staff uses daily, calculate monthly hours spent on integration issues and duplicate entry, multiply by 52 and your blended staff cost—bring that number to your next partner meeting.**
The $47,000 Spreadsheet That Ran a Practice
What one office manager's retirement revealed about hidden operational debt
- **One office manager's undocumented spreadsheet caused $36K in losses when she retired; hidden workarounds are running most practices.** - **Your software vendors aren't actually integrating their systems—they're betting one person will do it manually forever for free.** - **This week, ask your office manager what breaks if she leaves, then document any manual data-moving between systems before evaluating new software.**
Why Multi-Location Practices Are Abandoning Best-of-Breed in 2026
New data shows consolidation to unified platforms is accelerating—and it's not about features
- Multi-location practices are consolidating onto single platforms 3.2× more often than adding new systems, driven by $5,000-per-employee annual software tax. - Staff retraining on multiple systems ranks as the second-biggest operational burden after payroll, yet most practices don't budget for these hidden costs. - This week: Calculate your support and training hours by location; if over 15% of IT budget goes to managing fragmentation, schedule consolidation vendor conversations.
Why Dermatology Groups Are Leading the Great Software Consolidation
New MGMA data shows specialty practices ditching fragmentation 18 months ahead of primary care
- Dermatology practices consolidating to 3–4 integrated tools cut staff turnover by 22%, saving roughly $180K annually in a 5-location group. - Specialty-built platforms outperform enterprise EHRs like Epic for dermatology workflows; generic systems require expensive customization that rarely happens well. - This week, list your current tools and costs, then call a peer practice owner asking what they use and whether they'd choose it again.
The 30-Minute Software Audit: What's Actually Costing You
A framework to map every tool, license, and hidden fee across your locations
- Most practices waste $2,400–$4,100 monthly on duplicate or forgotten software subscriptions—a 30-minute spreadsheet audit will expose it. - You likely don't know what you're spending on software, but your office manager does; this knowledge gap costs you $8K–$15K annually. - This week, ask your office manager and billing lead to list every software subscription and its cost; consolidate duplicates and renegotiate with vendors.