RFP: Request for Proposal
Requesting a proposal from a vendor is a preliminary step in the decision making process. Some vendors will not even bother to reply. Expect a telephone inquiry from at least one EMR vendor. The company should recognize you as a prospect and treat you accordingly. They will ask important fact finding questions from the sales representative. Before they invest time spend in the development of a written RFP, they are going to want to find out if you are a serious buyer or if you are shopping. Responding to an RFP can be time consuming and expensive. If all you would like to know is the price, ask for a “ball park” figure. This price should be broken into different pieces. There is a separate cost for the software, installation of software, training on software application and in many cases expect to pay for the travel expenses for the training staff of the vendor. The per diem charge can be negotiated. These companies are nationwide, however very rarely local. Do not buy from a company just because they are local. Buy from a company that has the right EMR product for your practice. In the long run, the extra money paid will be well spent. In an effort to obtain a realistic price quote, be prepared to tell the EMR vendor rep about your practice; current and any foreseeable changes. Important information to provide: number of providers, number of licensed users (Physician assistants, Nurses, Medical billers, and front office schedulers). With an accurate depiction of your office the vendor will be able to provide a truer figure in the price quote. Don’t be afraid to tell the companies that you are shopping the market. This will cause a competitive bidding frenzy. When they compete for you and your business, you can drive a better price and little to no cost for customization.
Look at overall value not just price
Merriam-Webster Inc. defines Value: A fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged.
There are many inexpensive EMR applications on the market from which to choose. Be sure to test the features important to you and your practice. This will help to define the overall value of the EMR. Just because one product is inexpensive, doesn’t make it a better value. Buy on the perceived value and potential Return on Investment (ROI). Ask to see white paper on some actual case studies performed. Each qualified EMR vendor should have ROI’s to demonstrate their position when discussing the “time or money saving features”, as each feature carries its own potential ROI. Be honest with yourself on which features you think your practice will actually use. If the EMR vendor cannot or will not provide this factual data, and be able to support these ROI claims, the buyer should beware. Anecdotal data is not factual, don’t buy into it. Demand to see the data. Value is in the eye of the beholder. What you may see as value to your practice based on price, workflow and feature, others may not. You are an individual with unique needs to be met. Make you own judgments, seek outside help. This task of selecting and implementing an EMR and changing your practice workflow is monumental, don’t take it lightly. After looking over and considering the ROI, ask to speak with the practice on which this case study was performed. The EMR company should gladly offer this reference to you. Remember this question to ask of this or any reference: “If you had to go back and do it over, what would you keep the same, what would you do different, and why?” This information will speak volumes about the product and support of the EMR you are considering.
When considering the “Value” of an EMR one should consider the results of a study done by Samuel J. Wang in April, 2003 which showed the vast difference in Return on Investment (ROI) in “Light EMRs” as compared to “Full EMR”.7 This is because the lower priced products on the market often quickly become expensive over time as new features and support plans are added. The overall benefit of these systems as shown in the study are significantly less due to their lack of functionality, making it much more difficult to achieve a good ROI.
NEXT: Support
