As meaningful use Stage 2 comes to a close, most hospitals have already implemented EHRs. However, hospitals are questioning if the systems they’ve implemented are actually working to improve patient outcomes. If not, you can expect that hospitals will be more discerning in the next wave of EHR implementations. While “self-service” vendors with implementation offerings may look attractive from an upfront cost perspective, they won’t be viable long-term solutions in the emerging healthcare market.
Value vs. Price
You get what you pay for in healthcare implementations so it’s important that hospitals take into account value vs. price when they invest in EHRs. The cost of an HIT implementation doesn’t simply reflect the technology that is implemented, but extends further to include the services vendors provide before, during and after the technology is in place.
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The biggest challenge to overcome in any software implementation is adoption – once users become comfortable with a program and establish a routine, the last thing they want is to learn a different system, even if it means saving time and money. Physician’s Practice’s survey recently listed vendor support and improved training as the top suggestions for EHR improvement. Users require people to train and support them, all of which are expensive. Hospitals also need to continually monitor the adoption and utilization of their technology so that they can innovate and maximize on their investments.
Make the right decisions
The true value of an IT investment comes from its rate of adoption, and without that, hospitals end up with a software that not only is impractical for users, but also very costly. Before starting an HIT implementation, here are some things to consider to ensure adoption and to capitalize on investments:
- What is the cost of the technology and does it include training and services?
- Who will be directly affected by the technology and are they part of the decision process?
- Will the vendor work with end users to meet their workflow needs?
- What type of continued support is available post-implementation? How much will it cost?
- Can the vendor provide a measurable number of reference accounts that have had success? Will they share that data?
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As with most decisions, choosing technology will require trade-offs: cheaper options will mean sacrificing implementation services, training and monitoring, which all impact adoption. Although cheaper in the short term, choosing an EHR or technology vendor based on low cost could end up costing years of progress and more money in the long run.
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