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“Engagements are project based and time bound in pursuit of a defined goal. They are sometimes, but not always, supplemental to some other, larger initiative, such as a wholesale EMR implementation or upgrade.”
Eight out of ten of the firms have a performance score above 90 out of 100, and all firms have numerous happy clients. J2 Interactive and NHA were the most consistent with no clients rating J2 below a 90 and only one NHA client doing so.
J2 and NHA were also reported to have high proficiency with InterSystems and Meditech, respectively.
Two of the clients in Atos’ sample reported very poor experiences, but this was mostly due to overpromising and frustration regarding acquisition-related disruption and lack of skills.
Galen Healthcare was praised for its services for seven EMR platforms and its efforts to work with both large and small systems. 314e was also validated for its experience working with some of the top EMR vendors, including Allscripts, Cerner, Epic, and Meditech.
Navin and NHA were rated the most focused technical services firm, specializing in Meditech EMRs and doing mostly supplemental report writing.
Researchers noticed that four key metrics stood out as having the most impact on a firm’s overall performance. These included quality of staff, relationships/partnerships, value, and engagement execution.
Technical services are a labor-driven market, the report highlighted. Therefore, clients’ quality of staff ratings related closely with their overall perceptions of a firm’s success. Executive involvement is also a vital aspect that contributes to long-term, satisfying, and successful client/firm relationships.
The firms found to be known for their executive involvement included J2 Interactive, Prominence, Galen Healthcare, and Pivot Point Consulting.
Prominence received the most consistently positive feedback from their sample of just seven clients. Six of these clients said that the firm had deep Epic expertise and worked well with internal staff.
S&P Consultants received praise for its staff’s unique skills gained from long experience with laboratory systems.
Although high performance does not always correlate with high value, most clients are interesting in getting the most bang for their buck.
NHA, J2 Interactive, Galen Healthcare, and 314e were commended for not “nickel-and-diming” customers.
NHA provided solutions that ensured clients were able to avoid costly manual processes, and J2 clients voiced that client success ranked above money and profit. Galen Healthcare was praised for its willingness to work with clients to achieve affordable contracts, while 314e clients often felt that the firm under-charged them for their services.
Meaningful use success spurs EMR adoption and a wealth of healthcare data has been captured electronically, but if it is to optimize patient care and provider collaboration, it must be available in a useful, accessible format, researchers stated.
“A broad range of technical skills are needed to convert data and integrate clinical applications, analytics tools, and other platforms. For help in this area, many provider organizations turn to the technical expertise of services firms.”
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