Side by Side Comparison of EMR Costs and Price Matrix

This is a Getting Started resources discussing the Side-by-Side Comparison of EMR Costs; how to really compare EMR pricing from different vendors.

We're running this interview in parallel with our call to EMR vendors to participate with our Price Comparison Matrix - we're trying to give Doctors researching EMR solutions a good starting point to compare the price of different EMR products. We reason that everyone saves time and effort if they know what an EMR Vendor's ballpark prices are. This allows the Doctor to select EMR vendors that are likely to feature on their investigation list.

Price Comparison Matrix (Excel template)

Download this Vendor Price Matrix template; fill in pricing for 1, 2 and 5 doctors; and send it back to Nick or contact Robert for any assistance adding your content; Help us build and maintain a comprehensive pricing resource for Doctors who visit this site.

You can get a sneak preview of the (draft, subject to change, didn't say it was finished) Price Comparison Matrix here. Each Vendor's Product Price includes a Blog Post entry detailing additional notes and information about that line's items. The Price Comparison Matrix can be used to compare on-screen prices from any checked price-line. A useful tool for getting a good feel and ballpark for an EMR Vendors prices. He's a demo snapshot:

On with the interview! The speakers are Mark Anderson CEO, AC Group, Inc. and our roving reporter Robert "Bob" Gleeman.
Click the play button below to play this interview.

Requires Flash Player.

These are my notes from the interview:

1. All EMR Vendors have different pricing structures & methodologies.
2. Pricing can be different; by Physician, by part time Physician; some include or exclude third-party software (or not even tell you that you need that component).
   
3. How widespread are prices across EMR vendors? Working with a 3-doctor practice in Georgia, two quotations came within $1,000 of each other. However when adding support, implementation, training, over a 3 year period, there was a $60k difference per physician.
4. You have to try and get down to an apples-to-apples comparison.
5. Get everything you think you need included on your quotations and then start negotiating.
6. Are there some Price landmark features; such as bi-directional Lap Reports? There are major differences in interface costs with different philosophies; some hospitals may charge $10-$15k, some vendors only charge a $1k.
7. EMR Vendors might include things such as Personal Health Record, CPT or IC9 Codes, connection to AllScripts or Rx might be included. But if you don't need these things you're paying for things you don't need.
8. Document Imaging can be another big difference. With some vendors this is a completely separate third-party product not included in their quotation.
9. Some EMR Vendors may include or exclude things -- and sometimes your EMR salesman doesn't even know what's included.
10. The SQL relational database can also be anoother big issue; some vendors might only require the low-cost MySQL and we've seen some Vendors asking for an unlimited SQL Server License at $6,300.
11. emrupdate.com are providing a Price Matrix to give a good starting position on EMR prices.
12. The Doctor has to know exactly what is included in the core software price. List all the options and understand what these are. Let the Doctors check-off what they want and what is not needed.
13. GET A CONTRACT. DO NOT BUY an EMR without one. This is really is a case of buyer-beware. You should be changing the contract and/or adding clauses to guarantee your on-going support.

Thanks again to Mark Anderson, AC Group for supporting our Getting Started resources for Doctors Researching EMR solutions.  

For more information about the subjects discussed here you can contact Mark Anderson at the details listed below.
See our other Getting Started resources here.

Mark R. Anderson CPHIMS, FHIMSS
CEO and Healthcare IT Futurist 
AC Group, Inc.
118 Lyndsey Drive
Montgomery, TX  77316
(c) 281-413-5572
(f)  832-550-2338
email: mra@acgroup.org
web: www.acgroup.org