Electronic Health Record Pricing Information and Guidance

Because I’m fascinated with the lack of information surrounding pricing of various electronic health records and because I admire the work of AmericanEHR Partners, I thought it relevant to shine a little light on another interesting piece of information from the organization.

As this seems to be the year of the big EHR switch, and because seemingly the folks at AmericanEHR hear as much as I do about the lack of transparency in the pricing structure of these solutions, I thought I’d publish some guidance for what to consider when making the transition to EHRs. In my research on the subject – I’m developing a piece on the subject of EHR pricing – I came across this piece, compiled by the AmericanEHR from the Maryland Health Care Commission.

For starters, one thing is sure when the considering an EHR: pricing should not be the only factor. If pricing were the sole factor to consider, you may think you’re getting a deal when spending a little more up front might have a more favorable outcome.

I’ve seen very expensive EHR software given away as a tool to secure long-term contracts that included with huge monthly service agreements. In the end, for those who “purchased” the software, they may have actually been better off spending a little money on the system and perhaps they could have avoided the mountains of fees that followed them every month for seven years.

Speaking of licensing and fees, there are several key elements to consider, according to AmericanEHR.

Things to consider when shopping for a practice management system:

For patient portals:

Support and training (these are the fees that always seem to surprise):

Maintenance:

Hopefully this helps. If you know more or would like to discuss in detail, I’m always looking for good sources for stories such as this.


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