Chapter 6
Selecting Your Vendor Partner
In This Chapter
Surveying the vendor landscape
Understanding the technical requirements
Developing a system selection process that works for you
Getting your hands on the systems
Making the final choice
Choosing your EHR vendor is one of the first and most important choices you will make as part of this process. Before you dive into a detailed workflow evaluation and before you encourage your staff to participate in training, you have to pick a vendor and EHR product.
For ambulatory practices, implementing EHR technology is as close to marriage as it gets — you’re partners with the technology until death do you part. Well, maybe not that long, but finding and working with a vendor who will be a great partner is critical. Much like finding a mate, the process takes time. Depending on the size of your practice or number of clinics in your organization, the vendor selection process can take some focused time.
The selection process may seem daunting when you think about all the steps involved, but if you follow a structured approach, you can select the right EHR for your clinic and engage your entire staff in the process.
Creating a Plan of Attack
Before you review Web sites with vendor information and start shopping for a partner, develop a plan and schedule that outlines each task in the selection process. Exercising a little discipline while you carefully think through each major step and requirement will save you both time and money. Whether ...
