We know that the EHR selection and implementation process can be difficult. As one of our Provider Member services, the REC created a marketplace of pre-qualified EHR software vendors and technical service consultants to make EHR adoption and implementation a smoother and more efficient transition. The REC recently added HISPs for the provision of Direct Messaging, which is a secure e-mail service for the exchange of electronic health information.
Our goal is to minimize disruption to your practice and to help reduce the time and financial investments of EHR adoption and reaching meaningful use. The Marketplace is an unbiased, structured way for you to review and compare the cost and functions of products and services to determine the EHR software, technical consultants, and HISP services that are the best fit for your practice. An informed choice of vendors and consultants can help you avoid unnecessary problems and facilitate meeting Meaningful Use Stage 1 objectives.
How We Evaluated Vendors
Marketplace vendors were evaluated based on their stability, strategy to meet meaningful use objectives, experience in the RI EHR market and in-depth assessment of their services. REC relationships with the RI healthcare community enabled us to negotiate discounts with vendors on pricing, contracting and service-level criteria.
We believe that REC Provider Members will benefit from the EHR software vendors’ use of a standard end-user license agreement that the REC designates the Standard Uniform Software Licensing and Services Agreement, or standard contract. Marketplace vendors’ contracts are deemed standard or standard with modifications, which allows providers to objectively review EHR software contracts.
Contracts include standards related to payment terms, confidentiality compliance, warranty, jurisdiction, indemnification, limitation of liability, and pricing. They also verify that the EHR software is (or is working to be) HHS certified and that meaningful use is attainable. Because your EHR must be HHS certified to qualify your practice for Medicare or Medicaid incentive payments, we want to ensure that the EHR products you choose have the necessary technical capabilities and functions needed to achieve meaningful use.
We have included a limited number of vendors with limited modifications to their contracts to offer you a variety of options. All of the Marketplace’s EHR software vendors' profiles state whether the contract is standard or standard with modifications. Any modifications are defined, so you are fully aware of the contract terms and how they deviate from the standard agreements.
The contracts of all vendors (both those with standard and standard with modifications contracts) will stipulate that final payment for their implementation services will not be due until implementation is complete and your practice can attain meaningful use.
Vendor Marketplace Types
Depending on where you are in the process of implementing or upgrading an EHR, you may need the services of any of our Marketplace vendors:
- EHR Software Vendors - provide the software and assist a practice to achieve meaningful use through a comprehensive EHR.
- Technical Service Consultants - provide a range of services throughout a practice’s EHR adoption lifecycle. They assess a practice’s readiness to implement an EHR; create and manage an implementation plan; provide IT support and maintenance; help with any necessary practice redesign; optimize a system for quality reporting purposes; offer education and training; and analyze a practice’s ability to achieve meaningful use objectives.
- Health Information Service Providers - HISPs are similar in concept to ISPs. As such, a HISP is responsible for delivering Direct Program e-mail, which may include PHI, from a sender to a receiver via the Internet. HISPs encrypt, authenticate, and run trust verification activities to ensure PHI is secure. In essence, a HISP ensures that messages are delivered securely. When speaking with a HISP vendor, please identify yourself as a RI REC member to access discounts and standardized client contracts.
A Relationship Manager is assigned to each provider group who enrolls in the REC's EHR Adoption Program. This person provides individualized vendor-neutral support to assist and guide you with decision-making and project management and coordinate the services you need to adopt, upgrade or optimize an EHR and attain meaningful use.