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List of EMR vendors is ever growing with more and more providers and big players like Microsoft, Google and IBM joining in. Therefore, finding the right EMR vendor has become quite tricky. Following steps should help you finding the right EMR vendor for your practice:
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| Define your Goals |
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| This is important because your EMR purchase should be based on your functional needs so that it can be closely matched with your practice needs. You should always write down, say 10 or 20, functions that you would want your EMR to perform. |
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| Prepare a Scorecard of Functional Requirements |
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| Once you have finalized on the functions that you need from your EMR system, you should now convert your wish list into a scorecard so that you can write notes by each category when you are making comparison between different vendors. Now develop a simple scoring system and assign a value to each category while evaluating the EMR systems of different vendors. |
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| Shortlist the Vendors |
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| With a list of functional requirements ready with you, now prepare a list of vendors that you would like to consider for purchasing the EMR from. It may be possible to eliminate some of the vendors quickly on grounds of reliability of the system or if they do not support a certain size practice or particular specialty. You can also investigate different vendors by looking at their websites so as to assess the maturity of the vendor such as the years in business, total money allocated to research and development, number of total clients and installations, etc. Other important points that can be considered while evaluating the different vendors include CCHIT certification, etc. If a particular vendor is active in national EMR leadership task forces such as the Electronic Health Records Vendors Association, these recommendations can also be helpful in making an appropriate decision with respect to a vendor. |
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| Compare the Products of Shortlisted Vendors |
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| You can compare the products of different vendors on a multiple criteria including the features and advantages offered by an EMR system. In this regard, EMR conferences and road shows can also be helpful as they will let you see the different products at the same time. You can read articles on the internet or take advice from your professional colleagues who are already using EMR systems in their practice. |
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| Issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) |
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| You should consider issuing a request for proposal (RFP). This is a standardized, formal document that is capable of telling your vendor about your practice and your requirements from an EMR system. In response to RFP, the vendors can then extend their proposals. |
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| Compare the Proposals |
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| You should thoroughly investigate different proposals and conduct a cost-benefit analysis before arriving at a final decision of choosing a vendor. |
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