A 2018 study by Black Book found that 30% of practices switch EHRs within 3 years.
The reasons are varied. Maybe you don’t have a choice because your vendor is going out of business or is no longer certified. Or maybe you’re just unhappy with your current EHR – of those choosing to switch EHRs, Black Book found that a majority were seeking an EHR that was more customizable and/or had better integration with practice management and RCM.
“If you fail to plan you’re planning to fail” – attributed to Benjamin Franklin.
I think we would all agree, having a plan for converting EHRs will help ensure a better choice the second (or third) time around.
Some Useful Information and Tools:
- Avoid common pitfalls – watch our free webinar
- Develop a Checklist – use our free tool
- Plan for a Data Conversion from your old EHR – checkout this article for more on what to expect
- Providers are required to retain complete patient medical records for 5-10 years depending upon the state.
- Here’s a shameless plug – checkout Sevocity’s free EHR conversion services
Once you’ve narrowed down your choice to 1-3 vendors some other items to consider:
- Vendor Ownership – is the vendor owned by a venture capital firm or a company that owns more than one EHR? If so, you may be jumping on board with an EHR that is going to be sold or closed down and forced to move to another EHR within the same ownership.
- Certification Track Record – has the vendor been consistently certified before the newest version was required? Lookup your potential vendors on the government’s website: https://chpl.healthit.gov/#/search
- Costs – How long are your rates locked in? What happens if a provider leaves? Is there a charge for MIPS reporting? Are there any additional costs to comply with MIPS? What other possible fees could the vendor levy?
- While somewhat cliché, even if it’s not the definition of insanity, “doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different outcome”, is painful and expensive when it comes to EHRs.