Top Five Perils to Avoid: Select the correct EHR system the first time

​It is a major investment for hospitals to adopt an EHR system. If the organization selects the incorrect system then it gets even more expensive.
​In accordance to a recent survey from Software Advice, a resource for medical software buyers, many hospitals are presently stuck with unsatisfactory EHR systems. Several are searching around for software to replace their current system.

Nearly, one-third of healthcare agencies shopping for an EHR are doing so to replace a system that is already in place. That is compared to merely 21 percent that were replacing an existing system in the year of 2010.
And it is not just that more hospitals are ultimately getting around replacing old technology — merely 16 percent of those buyers claimed that they were searching for a latest EHR system because their current software is outdated.
The key reason for making a change: Hospitals are not satisfied with their EHR systems and vendors. The majority (62 percent) of agencies shopping for a replacement system said that that was the main reason of replacement.
Same results were observed in a survey conducted previously this year by Black Book Rankings. 17 percent claimed that they are considering switching to a different system by the end of 2013 year among the 17,000 healthcare organizations presently using EHRs. While another survey concentrating solely on doctors discovered even lower satisfaction rates.
39 percent stated they would not suggest their present EHR system to a colleague, in accordance to 4,200 physicians surveyed by the American College of Physicians and American EHR Partners.
Several hospitals and other healthcare providers have not had much luck in selecting the correct EHR system for their agency. That is particularly problematic due to the high charges of EHR adoption. The cost goes far beyond the price of the software itself — it can involve training, lost productivity, important hardware upgrades, and other items.
Note: Consuming the time to select the correct system now will save hospitals a lot in the long term. If your agency is searching for its 1st EHR system, or searching for a better replacement, following are few of the key factors to consider:

1. Do not miss important features
In accordance to the agencies polled by Software Advice, the primary reason hospitals are not satisfied with their EHR system: It lacks several important features the hospital requires.
That is why many professionals suggest the very 1st step healthcare providers take when searching for software is to make a list of all the important features, as well as the characteristics that would be nice to have. Then the hospital can start the selection procedure by eradicating vendors that do not meet those needs.
Note: It is essential to get input from entire groups that will have to utilize the system. That involves doctors, nurses, administrative staff, IT workers and others.

2. Concentrate on the convenience of use
In accordance to the doctors surveyed by the American College of Physicians and AmericanEHR Partners, the significant complaint about EHRs was that the software is complicated to use. And the 2nd most usual reason the agencies polled by Software Advice were shopping for a latest system is that their software is “too cumbersome,” while several also reported the system is “too complex.”
The issue stems again highly from agencies failing to get input from those who’ll be the eventual end users of the EHR system. Those groups should be included in reviewing software demos to make certain that they can conveniently work with the system for their routine tasks.

3. Test hardware compatibility
The EHRs are the complicated systems that need much hardware resources, and hospitals might find the system they select does not work great with their present infrastructure. In fact, the 3rd most often-cited reason for requiring new system was the hardware failure.
Resolution: It should be ensured by the hospitals that their selected system works on their current hardware, or they require making important upgrades before the system is executed.
Another alternative resolution that many hospitals are taking is to turning to a cloud-based system, which does not need the software to be installed on the agency’s own network.

4. Match to your agency
More vendors are providing systems that cater to different kinds of organizations as the EHR market has grown — for instance, there are systems meant for particular specialties, as well as few meant for hospitals of some sizes.
Numerous agencies report that they are searching for a new system because what they have now is too generic as those options have grown, in accordance to Software Advice’s survey.
To ignore that, providers should make definite that they are selecting a system that is geared toward agencies like them, or is at least flexible sufficient to meet particular needs of different groups.

5. Observe the vendor, too
A hospital is not merely selecting a piece of software when implementing an EHR system— it is also teaming up with the vendor. The software provider must provide support when there are issues with the system, and several can also assist to train end users on how to use the system.
The agency can observe with vendor references and inquire how the company has managed queries and maintenance problems in case to make definite that the vendor will be responsive when the hospital needs support.