Practice Fusion

By Robert Chess, Ryan Kissick
2016 | Case No. E589 | Length 26 pgs.

Centered on Practice Fusion, a free web-based electronic health record (EHR) company based in San Francisco, the Practice Fusion case examines the rapid growth of EHR systems in the United States from 2009 to 2014.  The case discusses the challenges associated with adopting an EHR system (also referred to as an electronic medical record [EMR] system) from the standpoint of health care providers, both large and small.  It also examines the benefits of EHR systems for health care providers, patients, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and society as a whole.  In addition, the case explores how Practice Fusion can best grow its revenue in light of slowing EHR adoption among physicians.

Learning Objective

The primary learning objectives for students are fourfold: 1) to understand the benefits of electronic health records for a variety of stakeholders; 2) to understand how government incentives, especially the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, impacted the adoption of EHR systems among U.S.-based providers; 3) to learn why the interoperability of EHR systems is so limited; 4) to determine how Practice Fusion can continue to grow its revenue in the face of slowed EHR adoption.
This material is available for download by current Stanford GSB students, faculty, and staff, as well as Stanford GSB alumni. For inquires, contact the Case Writing Office. Download