Five Reasons to Challenge Your EHR Vendor

According to CMS, approximately 15% of skilled nursing providers switch EHR vendors each year. With PDPM set to change the skilled nursing landscape in the near future, more providers will begin evaluating their current partners to make an informed decision for their future.

With the recent flurry of vendor acquisitions, you may start to question whether or not you are you still supported by the same vendor and if they are truly focused on successfully getting you through PDPM.  

If so, know that you are not alone and PointClickCare is here to help you determine if your EHR vendor is right for you. Here are five reasons to hold your EHR vendor accountable: 

1. PDPM: Is your EHR vendor ready?
Payment reforms and regulations are changing the skilled nursing landscape and how facilities operate. Now is the time to evaluate your EHR vendor and determine whether or not your needs are being met in order to fully transition into PDPM prior to October 1. PDPM is a massive payment model change for the industry, and your EHR vendor should be able to provide information about how you will perform under those changes.

2. Acquisitions: Is your vendor the same vendor you signed with?
Has your vendor been through an acquisition? What are their priorities? If you are looking at an EHR vendor that has multiple platforms, you should consider how they are managing those platforms. Your priorities should be top of mind for your EHR vendor. 

3. Workflows: Are you capturing all of the care you are providing?
Does your current EHR vendor allow data to flow across all roles in your organization? Do the right teams have access to information they need to make effective decisions? The data that is being presented by your EHR vendor should be easy to access and allow for efficiency among staff.

4. Contracts: Are you stuck with your current vendor?
EHR implementation is difficult, and it’s a big change for providers. If you are evaluating your current EHR vendor, you need to consider your contract, the terms, and your rights under the contract. It’s also important to be aware of what data can be converted and how you will access it after changing vendors.

5. Networks: Are you a preferred provider?
More hospital networks are looking for data from their partners in order to provide better care for residents and reduce hospitalizations. What is your interoperability with your current EHR vendor and the hospital networks? It’s important to consider whether your EHR partner is capable of giving you the information you need to build an effective network relationship.

Want to learn more about how to challenge your current EHR vendor? Check out our recorded webinar “Why I Challenged My EHR Vendor and Five Reasons You Should Too” .