SBA Loans for Electronic Health Records systems

Senator John Kerry has proposed a bill that would allow physicians to obtain SBA loans for the acquisition of electronic health record systems and other computer technology to modernize their practice. This is a welcome relief to physicians who are worried about the high costs involved in acquiring, implementing, and maintaining such systems. Investing in electronic health records will be required in order for physicians to qualify for some government incentives and comply with upcoming mandates. It is encouraging to see that there is a push to make SBA loans more accessible to physician practices, especially in light of a puzzling move by the SBA last year to place a cap on goodwill for acquisitions. The goodwill cap has since been revised and it has still been possible to obtain amounts in excess of the limit through an individual review process, but the thought of such a limit being implemented is still disconcerting.