Efforts to transition from paper medical records to electronic health records (EHRs) have been wildly successful over the last fifteen years or so. After all, nearly all U.S. hospitals now leverage an EHR. However, the complexities of healthcare and technology have manifested at that intersection. Traditional EHRs have not delivered true interoperability, downtime remains a hindrance for many and usability issues abound. In fact, one recent survey found that nearly 57% of physicians say they find it difficult to document patient care using the EHR. What was supposed to alleviate clinician burden has actually made that burden heavier to carry.
It's time for a change.
The cost of inertia
Challenges associated with health IT are often discussed, but less attention is given to how we arrived at the current state of EHRs. Let’s talk about the EHR elephant in the room.
Though there are hundreds of systems in the EHR space, a couple of major players dominate more than half of the market. For years, there has been an assumption that bigger vendors have better products, better services and better outcomes. But bigger is not always better. And it’s often costlier.
We’ve seen this within the hospital market itself. Consider recent trends in merger and acquisition activity. From 2018–2023, more than 400 hospital and health system mergers were announced. Studies suggest that prices for patients have increased in the wake of consolidation.
Healthcare organizations are already struggling financially between rising supply costs, declining reimbursement, staffing gaps and an increased reliance on contract workers. Is your organization prepared to absorb higher costs as your EHR supplier expands its market share?
The power of choice
Competition in the EHR space is a good thing—not only because it drives competitive pricing, but because it also pushes the entire industry forward.
Think about the concept of Certified Health Information Technology. As the standard bearer for health IT, the ONC has defined several criteria to evaluate if health IT products effectively support healthcare organizations and their patients. This means that a whole host of requirements around technological capabilities/functionalities and security controls are table stakes for most EHR vendors.
With some healthy competition, developers must invest more in research and development to meet new market needs and gain an edge over other vendors. A diversified landscape of vendors means there is latitude for niche solutions that may not work for most organizations but are really effective for a particular segment of the market.
Beyond innovation, organizations also need to consider their configuration, customization and personalization needs in an EHR. Behemoth EHR vendors tend to prescribe a one-size-fits-all approach that boosts their own efficiency at best and boxes in the customer at worst. You individualize care for each patient. Your organization deserves the same level of service.
The alternative you need for the outcomes you want
Healthcare is a complex industry. It requires expertise, experience and ingenuity. And there is plenty of room for more of that in the EHR space.
Enter Altera Digital Health.
While we are a newer name in health IT, we bring proven solutions and veteran leadership to the table. We know that healthcare can be better for everyone involved, and that those who promise bold transformation overnight rarely deliver.
Altera offers something different. We see the summit of what healthcare can be and recognize that incremental, everyday achievement is a more sustainable path to get there. That’s why we develop solutions that follow industry best practices—but also give clients the flexibility and expert guidance they need to really move the needle at their organizations.
EHRs are a big investment for healthcare organizations. Is your big EHR vendor investing in you?
It’s time for a change. Learn more about Sunrise™, the flexible EHR to meet your evolving needs, here.