Evaluating Electronic Health Records
When evaluating Electronic Health Records software it’s important to take a measured approach. There are scores of software vendors all claiming to be the right choice for your practice. But only you can make that determination.
Get others in your practice involved. Find out what they want in an Electronic Health Record system. Get their buy-in early. Hold regular meetings with providers and staff to discuss needs, concerns and questions, and list the problems you want to solve with the Electronic Health Record software.
Look carefully at what the different vendors are offering. Concentrate on those that are well-established in the medical software field and that offer comprehensive training and support. Consider how well they are prepared to face future standards and whether they are CCHIT CertifiedSM, which demonstrates an Electronic Health Record software’s functionality, interoperability and security.
See the program for yourself. In-person demonstrations are vital to determining whether a system will meet your specific needs. Request them from each short-listed candidate. Run through a number of scenarios that are likely to test the product’s suitability. Create a checklist of all the important features and requirements, and note whether the Electronic Health Record software meets these requirements.
Ask about implementation. No two practices are alike. Electronic Health Record implementation requires tailoring and fine-tuning to meet your specific needs. Find out how far each company is prepared to go to provide customization for the particular needs of your practice.
Set a timetable. Find out how long each candidate system will take to become operational. Integrated systems may be much easier to set up and resulting in less disruption to your practice than separate systems interfaced together. Be prepared to hold your Electronic Health Record partner to an agreed upon timetable.
Finally, evaluate each of the candidate systems with your colleagues. Make a decision based on long term value, not on price alone. Develop a scoring system based on your research and demos, or submit requests for proposals (RFPs) to each potential partner and compare the responses side-by-side. And don't forget: include questions regarding training and ongoing support – this element is critical to the success of your Electronic Health Record initiative.
Start your evaluation process today by investigating Intergy EHR by Sage. Request a personal demonstration of this CCHIT Certified software by completing our Request Info form or calling 877-932-6301, Option 1 today.
CCHIT CertifiedSM is a service mark of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology.
