Hospitals looking to establish precision medicine programs may need to investigate niche vendors, rather than relying on EMR functionalities, according to a KLAS Research report.
KLAS interviewed providers about their experiences with popular precision medicine vendors for its report, the second of a two-part series evaluating precision medicine vendors. The health IT research firm noted that although EMRs are the most commonly deployed technologies in the healthcare setting, providers are "extremely skeptical" about whether EMRs will play a primary role in precision medicine.
Eight percent of providers said they felt their EMR vendor would play a leading role in their precision medicine program, compared to 28 percent who said their EMR vendor would play a limited or negligible role. The plurality of providers, 44 percent, expected their EMR vendor to play a peripheral or supportive role, citing issues like precision medicine being "too complex" for EMR vendors to handle, according to KLAS.
Many respondents told KLAS that providers looking to establish a precision medicine program should turn to niche vendors in the field. For hospital leaders in the acute-care setting, these vendors might include 2bPrecise, Philips, PierianDx, Tempus and Translational Software, according to KLAS.
"Many respondents were not shy in expressing their feelings about EMR vendors' roles, stating that the EMR in its current state is a hindrance to the advancement of the field," the report reads. "Overall, respondents feel that their peers looking to begin a journey into precision medicine should focus on niche vendors who have the experience and capabilities needed to address the specific challenges inherent in precision medicine."