Cerner, CDW team up to target physician offices

Cerner has enlisted computer seller CDW Healthcare to market ambulatory EMRs, practice management systems, hardware, technical assistance and consulting services to physician practices, marking the first time the EMR vendor has offered its full line of ambulatory products through a single, national sales channel.

"Our collaboration with CDW Healthcare provides our clients a single touch point for technology expertise, solutions guidance and deployment services, enabling them to focus on what matters most--providing quality patient care and improving the financial health of their practice," Mike Valentine, executive vice president of Cerner's worldwide client organization, says in a company statement.

The partnership is just the latest example of vendors looking for new ways to reach the multitude of doctor's offices without EMRs since the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvesment Act earlier this year. Since the stimulus became law in February, Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions has teamed up with both Henry Schein Medical Systems and Cardinal Health, while McKesson announced a deal with Craneware. Dell agreed to re-sell eClinicalWorks and Allscripts EMRs, then merged with Perot Systems.

For more information about the Cerner-CDW partnership:
- take a look at this InformationWeek story
- check out this Healthcare IT News report
- scan this item from the EMR and EHR blog
- browse the Cerner/CDW joint press release