Think twice before committing to new technology on a long-term business without a subscription model or trial basis.
Ruby Raley, associate vice president of product marketing for Edifecs in Bellevue, Wash.: When purchasing technology — such as digital or population health [software] — and you consider yourself an early adopter or the vendor is a new market entrant, consider a limited term or subscription model. Given the vendor consolidation that the market is facing and the rapid pace of change in functionality, it is important to keep an option open for your organization to move to alternative solution in three years without writing off the asset. As someone who has worked through the difficult task of taking a writeoff, it is better to be cautious in your purchasing than to tell your organization that your investment is for naught.