Doctors across the United States are being pushed to make the switch to Electronic Medical Records(EMR). The federal government
has set aside $19 billion in stimulus money to help see that a massive switch takes place by 2015. Yet, as the time for EMR adoption fast approaches, an increasing number of doctors are noticing a lack of dependable information. An internet search for ‘electronic medical records’ turns up over three million results and probably just as many opinions on which system is best. Healthcare providers need unbiased information so that they can decide which EMR to implement. Given the differences between individual practice needs, a relatively lengthy and consultative sales process has developed amongst vendors. This makes it a difficult and time-‐consuming process to gather and adequately compare pricing information and product features. This whitepaper was commissioned by Practice Fusion but designed independently by the author to provide an objective qualitative and quantitative assessment of the experience and results of obtaining initial price quotes for a standalone EMR solution and a combined EMR and Practice Management (PM) solution from seven well-‐known vendors. Although an evaluation of product features and usability is beyond the scope of this report, I hope the information contained herein proves useful in narrowing the options for vendor selection and helps to save time and effort as a practice looks.
