Posted By Amanda Girard On September 16, 2021
Finding a Trustworthy EHR Vendor
Finding a trustworthy EHR vendor is important. The investment in a new system is significant and carries risks and consequences of failure. When your healthcare agency is shopping for a new EHR system, do your due diligence and vet your vendor as well. Do not exhaust your budget for a system that comes with hidden costs, fails to live up to expectations or is lacking support to go with the system you purchased.
Make sure any EHR vendors you are evaluating are providing a clear understanding of their pricing. Will they provide the total cost of ownership for their solution? Have you gotten deep into the process of consideration only to find they failed to mention additional fees like training? Be wary of hidden add-on costs after implementation also. If an EHR vendor has a lot of 3rd parties they work with instead of integrating their own tools they are likely to have additional costs. Stay within your budget and avoid being nickel and dimed. A trustworthy EHR vendor will outline all of their costs for you.
Other pitfalls to watch out for is vagueness on the part of EHR vendors about what their systems can do, having reputations for overpromising on development then failing to deliver, and lying about system functionality. A trustworthy EHR vendor will be clear on how their systems operate and will be happy to demo them for you. You will feel confident knowing what you are purchasing. A trustworthy vendor will also have a good track record of following through on development timelines and doing what they said they would. Be wary of EHR vendors whose customers have reviewed as selling a product that does not do what they said it would.
Finally, in seeking out a trustworthy EHR vendor, make sure the vendor team is there for you beyond just the software itself. A great vendor will value relationships and collaboration and will form a true partnership with your healthcare organization. They will be responsive to your customer service and IT support needs, which will help your bottom line. They will also be responsive to your changing needs to meet compliance regulations, connect with different HIEs and immunization registries, and to adjust for improvements in your workflow. An EHR vendor you can trust is committed to your industry and operates as a living software that is constantly innovating for healthcare IT. Seek vendors that serve you while you serve the community.
Whether you are shopping for an EHR for the first time or limping along with one that nickel and dimes you, does not meet your needs, or fails to offer you proper support – remember you have options. Evaluate EHR Solutions and consider the importance of the people and company you are working with. Trustworthy EHR vendors will be transparent, have solid reputations and be committed to serving you.
