EMR Selection Process

So you want to buy an EMR. But how do you know which one's right for you?

Selecting the right electronic medical records (EMRs) for your organization can feel even more difficult than implementing them. This seemingly overwhelming challenge leads some practices to rush their final decision--or to reach a decision informed only from the physicians perspective. Larger practices will hire consultants with the expertise to help them through the selection process, but what about smaller facilities without the financial resources?

With just a series of steps, you can help your organization sort through the options and find the EMR that suits your needs best. It's not always easy, but it's important to make the best selection from both the clinical and administrative side to ensure optimal productivity and the strongest return on your investment.
Include everyone

A clinician may view a particular EMR as the perfect fit, while an office administrator on the opposite side of the medical fence may see the same EMR in a completely different--and much less useful--light.
Make a selection team of key members of your staff
Your selection team should include physicians, nurses, administrators and anyone else who will regularly interact with the EMR.
A solo practice will have an easier selection process than a practice with three or more physicians. Make sure all the physicians are on the same page before identifying an EMR as a potential candidate.
Identify your needs clearly

Be sure your organization is clear about what operational and financial improvements are expected from your new EMR. By keeping an accurate record of what changes are desired, you can make sure productivity increases after the EMR is implemented into your workflow.

All too often, it is easy to become carried away with the "bells and whistles" a certain EMR may feature. This can lead to hasty decisions of which EMR may be the better pick, while practical applications featured in another system are completely overlooked.
Understand what will change

Take time to examine and document your current workflow, and try to identify what changes will be needed and if those changes are optimal for your practice. For example, if you are looking to go paperless with your new system, your staff should be aware of this on all levels.

In addition, take into account which processes will become automated with the EMR. Make sure your staff is willing and capable to adapt to the new program. Besides that, you may need to assess where new or different hardware is needed throughout the clinic. At this step it is important to evaluate your security needs as well.
Interact with vendors

Have questions prepared for vendors and explore as many options as seems feasible given your allocated resources. As you proceed with your research, make sure to keep a list of vendors that you may be interested in pursuing business with, and to discard all the options that will not work for you.

When dealing with vendors, it is always a good idea to:
Request a system demonstration--here you can take note of how the EMR will deal with different scenarios frequent with your practice.
Check vendor references--always try to make sure the vendor is on excellent terms with previous clients
Visit other client sites--pay a visit to a client site that is actually using the system and rate how it works for them versus how it would work for you.

By taking the steps outlined above, you'll be on your way to making an informed EMR investment. It may seem daunting, but remember that in the end the whole process should help operations run more effectively in your practice.