Wal-Mart. I'll Take Two EMRs, Ninety Lipitor, a Flu Shot and a Thirty Pound Bag of Pistachio Nuts.

It was announced (leaked maybe) that Wal-Mart has teamed with Dell and eClinicalworks to provide hardware and software for an EMR with e-prescribing. The system is touted as “low-cost” or around $25,000 for the first user and $10,000 for each additional user.

Although the word is that they will offer support and maintenance, the big question is how? Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club already have the formula for low-priced shopping, but an EMR?

This is, of course, the same Wal-Mart that plans to directly compete with physicians for services by opening 2000 medical walk-in clinics over the next five or so years.

I suspect that a discounted EMR will shake up the industry and put price competition on vendors. Still, I remain hopeful for a grass roots EMR that grows thru Health Information Exchanges an RHIOs.

We will see. Maybe they are on to something.

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. Thomas Paine (1737-1809)