The nationwide adoption rate of EHR software systems soared to as high as 81.2% in 2019. Surpassing this mark in the span of two years, the number reached almost 95% in non-federal acute care hospitals.
As the number saw a steep rise in the number of EHR systems, the demand for custom EHR development was also observed. Given the diverse needs of specific healthcare practices, the rise of custom EHR development was evident.
While most healthcare practices enjoy the lucrative benefits of EHR customization, that comes with a new set of challenges. A study suggested that almost 20% of EHR software systems fail. From ensuring EHR system interoperability to making the EHR customizations to make it a medical practice management software, choosing the right custom EHR vendor became even more evident.
Apart from the EHR clinical workflows to the technical errors, the gaps between healthcare providers and EHR software vendors kept on widening. That is why apart from implementing best practices for custom EHR development, EHR vendor evaluation is considered a close factor in custom EMR development.
But, how to choose a custom EHR vendor? And what questions to ask EHR vendors, to make the right decision?
Well, let’s find the right questions to ask custom EHR developers and the secret to evaluating custom EHR solutions for healthcare in this blog below!
Clinical Needs and Project Goals
Before EHR vendor evaluation, understanding the clinical needs and project goals is important, for it gives you a clear idea of what your practice exactly needs and what is to be expected from the custom EHR development. Let’s understand this by asking yourself some questions:
Defining Your Practice’s Requirements and Functionalities
What specific functionalities and features do you need in your custom EHR?
This is one of the many questions that you should ask yourself. Finding the answer to this will give you an idea about what the pain points in your current system are. On the basis of this, it becomes easier for you to know what functionalities you wish to incorporate into your custom EHR software and what features are required to achieve that.
How will the custom EHR integrate with your existing practice management system?
The next question is sort of like a follow-up question to the first question you asked yourself. This can also be one of the questions to ask EHR vendors. Having said that, since your practice will already be using one of the systems, the new systems must be able to integrate with it smoothly and seamlessly. The advantage of asking this question is that it will give you an idea about EHR system compliance and ensure EHR system interoperability.
Project Scope and Timeline Expectations
What is your desired timeline for the custom EHR development process?
Once you’ve found the answers to the questions mentioned in the previous section, this question will help you in setting the timeline for the entire custom EHR development process. This will help you in understanding the cost considerations for custom EHR systems, which is essential as everything’s somewhere depends on the budget.
Budgetary Considerations and Cost Transparency
What is your budget for custom EHR development, and how do vendors approach cost estimation?
Depending on the specific clinical needs, custom EHR development can be a costly affair, and that is the reason it is suggested to follow the best practices for EHR vendor selection. This will help you understand the cost considerations for custom EHR systems and how to choose a custom EHR vendor for custom EHR development.
Expertise, Experience, and Qualifications
Some of the top qualities for EHR vendor evaluation are expertise, experience, and qualifications. Furthermore, the questions to ask EHR vendors must be based on this as well. So, without further ado, let’s have a look at the questions to ask custom EHR developers:
Vendor Experience in Healthcare Technology
Does the vendor have a proven track record of developing custom EHR solutions for medical practices?
Let’s be clear: nothing can beat experience, and with experience comes expertise. That is why this question is important in EHR vendor evaluation. Furthermore, this will also give you a clear understanding of the offerings of vendors and, if selected, what can be expected.
Do they possess experience specific to your practice’s specialty (if applicable)?
With specialty practices dominating the custom EHR development markets, this question fits in right for your specific and unique needs. Though medical practice management software development is not an easy task, if you’re looking for a specialty, it becomes even more difficult. So adopt the best practices for EHR vendor selection and learn how to choose a custom EHR vendor that is perfect for your unique needs and clinical practices.
The Development Process and Partnership Approach
The development process for simple things is often complex. So, let’s dive straight into the questions that you need to ask during the development process.
Project Management Methodology and Communication Style
What project management methodology does the vendor follow, and how will communication be handled throughout the development process?
Well, as simple as the question sounds, it is actually complicated. Being one of the top questions to ask EHR developers, it can give you an idea about stages of custom EHR development and how the software solution is being developed.
Development Team Composition and Expertise
Who will be on the development team, and what is their level of experience in healthcare technology?
This question is quite straightforward and shows that you want to know the details about the people who will be responsible for custom EHR development. Though it is just a reassurance question, it can give you an idea of the spending and have an impact on the cost considerations for custom EHR systems.
Implementation, Training, and Ongoing Support
Does the vendor offer comprehensive implementation and user training for your staff?
Custom EHR software is quite simple to use, but a guide to how to use it can only be provided by someone who has developed it. This question will clarify the understanding and provide user training for using the software.
Since it will be your users who will use this software, they should each and every feature and functionality of it for its optimum use and also to find any loopholes if any exists.
What ongoing support is included to address future issues and system updates?
This question will help you clearly understand the ongoing support and other intricacies after the custom EHR software systems are implemented in the clinic. It will also provide you with a roadmap for addressing and resolving the issue.
Evaluating Client References and Past Work
Being in this highly competitive and fast-paced world, you must know that not everything said should be believed or noted as true. So, should you be evaluating custom EHR solutions for healthcare? Well, here are some demanding questions to ask EHR vendors:
Requesting Client References and Case Studies
Ask the EHR vendor for references from previous clients who have already collaborated with the EHR vendor. This will get you a detailed understanding of the EHR vendor and what outputs can be expected. To learn the intricacies of working with the EHR vendor, you can even reach out to the client and learn what it is like to deal with them on a day-to-day basis.
Reviewing Project Portfolio and Case Studies
One of the best practices for EHR vendor selection is to review their project portfolio and case studies with projects similar to yours. This will provide enough details about the EHR vendor and how they address complex situations and ensure quality and timely delivery.
Conclusion
One of the best practices for EHR vendor selection often involves the questions to ask EHR vendors and evaluating custom EHR solutions for healthcare previously developed by the vendor. So let this blog be your guide to how to choose a custom EHR vendor and also for the right questions to ask custom EHR developers.
This will help you in making the right choice and be assured about the custom EHR development is for your practice, addressing your needs and helping you in enhancing your practice. And in case you get a doubt about how to choose a custom EHR developer? Then let this blog find its way to you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Why is it important to ask about a vendor’s experience?
Vendor experience is crucial! It tells you if they’ve handled similar projects, overcame challenges, and can adapt to your needs. Experienced vendors can anticipate issues, offer best practices, and deliver a smoother overall process.
- How can I verify a vendor’s compliance with HIPAA?
Here are three ways to check a vendor’s HIPAA compliance (under 60 words):
- Review their Business Associate Agreement (BAA): This contract outlines data security and privacy obligations.
- Request proof of certifications: Look for a SOC 2 or CSF certification indicating strong security practices.
- Ask about their security measures: Inquire about risk assessments, employee training, and breach notification plans.
- What should I look for in an EHR vendor’s SLA?
Focus on EHR uptime, with clear definitions for planned and unplanned outages. Look for guaranteed response times for critical issues and resolution targets. Ensure the SLA outlines service credits for missed benchmarks and consider termination rights for chronic problems.
- Why is scalability important in an EHR system?
Scalability is important in EHR systems because it allows them to efficiently manage the growing amount of patient data and user base. As more patients are added to the system, the EHR system needs to be able to store and access their data quickly and easily. Additionally, as more users (such as doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers) start using the EHR system, the system needs to be able to accommodate their needs without compromising performance.
- What are the hidden costs of EHR implementation?
Beyond software and hardware, EHRs hide costs in staff training, workflow redesign to fit the new system, and ongoing maintenance. Reduced productivity during the learning curve can also hit the budget. Don’t forget consultant fees and potential extra features needed for your specific practice.
