Vendor Assessment: The Industry Short List of Electronic Health and Medical Records for Small and Midsize Ambulatory Practices

Abstract

This IDC Health Insights report discusses ambulatory EMR functionality for small and midsize practices with 20 providers or less and presents an assessment of the offerings of 10 vendors that serve this space. This report considers the requirements and cost relief provided by stimulus payments under ARRA, alongside additional assessment criteria that consider results from EMR including the migration from paper charts to electronic documentation, electronic ordering, charge capture, and improvements to patient safety and the quality of care.

According to Judy Hanover, research manager with Health Insights' Healthcare Provider IT Strategies practice, "The use of EMRs in small and midsize ambulatory practices can result in many of the same benefits as in large practices; however, small practices do not see the economies of scale that accrue with process efficiencies upon EMR introduction in larger practices, making the initial investment quite formidable and the ROI questionable for many small practices. For small practices, selecting the right EMR and choosing functionality that meets the practice' s needs without creating unnecessary complexity or support costs are critical."