Physiatry Practice Management Resources

The RFP should require the vendor to provide specific descriptions and detailed pricing for:

· Servers.

· Portable and desktop PCs and workstations.

· Printers.

· Scanners.

· Modems.

· Wiring.

· Installation/labor costs.

· Service/warranty.

· Software licenses, number of users.

· Annual support costs.

· Practice management system interface costs (if applicable).

· Third party software (if applicable).

· Clearinghouse charges (if applicable).

· Data conversion.

· Training costs.

· Application Service Provider (ASP) costs (if applicable).

Costs for software licenses can vary greatly depending on which method the vendor uses. Some determine costs based on the number of users or the number of computers, or a flat fee for the first physician and partial fees for subsequent physicians, etc. Find out from each vendor which method they use.

Some vendors build third party software into their systems – medical, clinical, drug references and formularies, report writing, and document faxing. Other vendors consider these as add-on options available for an additional cost.

Vendors may provide data conversion – transferring your current patient demographic and billing information into your EHR system. It is money well spent if the data in your billing system is of high quality.

Ask each vendor for an estimated training schedule so you are familiar with what it covers and how long it will last. Most vendors create their training schedule based on historical data from practices of similar size and may charge a per-day rate, or by the hour.

An Application Service Provider (ASP) is a company that stores your data off-site. Not all vendors offer this as an option, but if you use an ASP, you won’t have to purchase a server. If you decide to use an ASP, it is important to define how many users can concurrently access the system at one time.

Make Your Selection

RFP Response Comparison. If each vendor followed your RFP format and submitted a response electronically, you can use an Excel spreadsheet and cut and paste responses to make the comparison easier. Don’t just focus on the final cost – remember that all costs are negotiable and cost is just one aspect of the final decision. Usability and quality of each system must also be compared.

Demonstrations. Invite all physicians and key staff to be a part of the on-site demonstrations. The vendor will most likely walk you through a basic presentation; however, you should prepare some challenging, but realistic patient scenarios and ask the vendor to show you how the system would handle them. Don’t hesitate to slow down a vendor intent on clicking through screens at 100 miles per hour. Specifically ask each vendor what features are contained in their standard package and what features will cost extra.

A vendor rating tool that covers all the functionalities the vendors were asked to respond to in the RFP should be developed and completed by all vendor demo participants. Because a lot of the systems have similar features, everyone should be as detailed as possible as they rate each system. Solicit both positive and negative feedback from all vendor demo participants. Hopefully you can choose the top two systems – these two vendors will need to come back on-site for an office assessment to be able to generate a final cost proposal.

References. Prepare a list of detailed questions to ask each reference. This is an opportunity to not only assess the vendor’s capability, but to also obtain insight about the overall process.

Negotiations. It is likely that the vendor’s initial price quote allows room for negotiation. Do not accept a lower price, however, as a tradeoff for hardware that is cheaper or for a reduction in service or training. If you like the price in your proposal, you should still try to get some additional service and training for free or at a discount.

Some physicians might want to purchase their hardware from a different vendor than the software vendor. This doesn’t really save a lot of money, and some vendors don’t allow it because of finger pointing that can occur between software and hardware vendors.

When you have the best and final offer from your vendor finalists, you are in position to make a decision. Occasionally, this is a no-brainer. But, more often, this is a very difficult decision because of the investment involved.

Implementation

Once you have selected a vendor, ask them what you can do in advance to prepare for implementing the system. Staff members can begin to gather information that will be downloaded into the system such as fax numbers for pharmacies and labs. You will also have to decide how much information in the old charts should be transferred into the EHR system.

Inform your patients about the new system and how it will benefit them, and give them opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

For a successful transition to EHR, you must be positive, expect problems, look for the best solution (which may not be the most expensive system), and last, but not least, be realistic.

It is good to have high expectations for what EHR software can do to help your practice, but you must also keep in mind that results take time, focus and dedication – like most things that are worthwhile.

By Sharon Ryan, MBA
Source: PhysiciansNews.com
Sharon Ryan is President and Chief Operating Officer of PMSCO Healthcare Consulting. Located in Harrisburg, PA, PMSCO is a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.