POSITION: Founder/CEO
COMPANY: Vinformatix
WHAT THEY DO: Develop electronic medical record software for primary care physicians
REVENUE: Less than $1 million
NEXT GOAL: Enter the Arkansas and Mississippi markets
Padma Vatsavai already had created software to manage patients’ medical records when the federal government started talking about incentivizing doctors to switch to electronic records as part of the health care reform package. Suddenly, the product Vatsavai already was providing potentially was in greater demand, and it became clear that the work she was doing had been building toward this moment, even though she didn’t know it when she started. The government launched a certification program last year, and she reached her goal of obtaining certification in April. The process was difficult for her small team, but now they can prove they’re dedicated to the industry.
Before federal reform was enacted, Vatsavai, a software architect by trade, was thinking about starting her own business, while her physician husband was looking for software to manage his records electronically. She created a tailored solution for his office that worked really well, which led to a few more clients through word of mouth. When the first client whom she and her team didn’t know signed up, they knew they were on to something. The company has an advisory board of doctors and nurse practitioners who serve as subject matter experts; they complement her technical expertise and helped the company achieve certification.
Primary care physicians are the company’s market niche, Vatsavai says. Large companies in the industry typically have products they sell to providers that include features primary care doctors’ offices don’t need. Her software is intended to be user-friendly, giving her customers exactly what they need in a format that’s easy to learn. The company is working on a marketing campaign and looking to hire its first salespeople.
“We would like to be known as the best [electronic medical record] provider for the primary care industry in the South. I’m very passionate about technology and providing a solution that excites the user, not just something that works.”
