EMR, State of the market; buyer beware

Considering the great influx of entries into the marketplace and the current pressure physicians are feeling to adopt an EMR I felt it an appropriate time to explain the state of the market. With 400 vendors now soliciting sales, the age-old sales tactics fall into play. The sales people are told, “It’s a numbers game, just get out there, schedule a demo, no matter what you have to say – we’ll close them!” Of course, this is done without a Site Analysis or EMR Implementation Strategy for optimum success, even when the vendor’s job is done. Every practice is unique, making it counterproductive to look at an “out of the box” solution. Then, there is the demo . . .they all look great during the demo. Demos are put on by professional demonstrators who can make everything look good – don’t be “Dazzled by the Demo”. What happens at 4:PM on Friday when you have a problem or your workflow gets bogged down because of the EMR or the training you did not get? The physician won’t be thrilled when his charting is taking an extra three hours a day.