The Electronic Health Records (EHR) satisfaction rate is falling at an alarming pace. As a result, it is no surprise that practices are looking to replace their current systems. If an EHR – a tool to manage and organize information – doesn’t do its job properly, it’s time to get a new one.

However, the real reason why practices change their EHR systems is because their current software is either too difficult to use or impractical in nature, thereby hurting productivity and increasing patient process times.

Here are a few factors that you should consider while selecting your new EHR system:

Data hosting

• Most EHR systems these days are based on the concept of Cloud computing. Based on various factors, you will have the following two options: The first would be a server-based option in which the entire system would be deployed within your practice or hospital and all devices will be connected to a central server. This method offers substantial security but many physicians do not rely on this anymore because of the high costs involved.
• The second option is where EHR systems are Cloud hosted. This means the server is placed at a remote location by the EHR vendor. All the devices in your hospital or practice will connect to this server online.

How much will it cost?

The cost of the system that you are looking to adopt depends on various factors, such as the number of staff, number of office locations or your unique infrastructure needs. Price varies from one vendor to another based on how much each charges for licensing, (physician based or user based), how many devices are accessing the product, and so forth.

You should, however, compare prices of various vendors depending on the following factors:

• software costs
• third party costs
• implementation costs
• annual maintenance costs

Make sure you conduct a detailed pricing analysis based on all these variables which will provide you with valuable insight.

How to avoid past problems from recurring?

It is absolutely crucial to avoid the problems you had with your previous EHR vendor. You need to identify the specific goals that you would like the software to help achieve in the next year and a half. Whether it has to do with increased productivity or the level of comfort and satisfaction the physician would like to have with their new EHR. The idea is to set measureable goals which can be revisited after implementation to identify if there are any areas of your practice that may require immediate attention.

Technology keeps evolving

Technology evolves rapidly. When making new decisions, it is important to consider what you would like to accomplish and how the new technology can help you achieve your objectives. Consider if you want to allow your physicians or nurses to carry touch screen devices rather than desktops or laptops? How are you going to access the system remotely? Make sure you perform in-depth research to find the most efficient methods.

If you believe that implementing an EHR system for a second time will be difficult, you are wrong. Because you were able to do it the first time, you are actually going to find it much easier to deploy the new system. The biggest hurdle, moving from paper to electronic, has already been surpassed, and now you just need a better system to help you with your practice.