Are you unhappy with your current EMR software vendor? Are you dissatisfied with their features and their lack of integrations? Or is the customer service simply subpar? Maybe it’s time to make a switch. But oftentimes, that’s easier said than done—especially when some software vendors will put systems in place to discourage you from leaving. Well, in this article, we’ll be sharing a few tips about how to change your EMR software vendor.

 

Are you performing daily data backups? Click here to learn more about how to audit proof your business.

 

Don’t get locked out f

 

Many subscription-based software vendors restrict users from accessing their system after deciding to cancel their subscription. This means that they are unable to look at past progress notes or clinical documents, they are unable to reproduce any old invoices or statements, and they can’t run any of their operational reports.

 

If you decide to stop using an EMR software, try to ensure that you’ll still have access the system—even if it’s in a read-only format. It’s vital that you retain access to your key operational information. If not, then the next section will be particularly relevant for you.

 

Take your data with you

 

We can’t exaggerate how important it is to be able to take your data with you when you leave. It’s equally important to ensure that the data is in a usable format when you take it with you.

 

Many EMR software vendors, particularly ones who are web-based, will say that you’re able to take your data with you, but they don’t explain the format that you’ll be able to receive it in. In certain cases, they’ll just send you a giant spreadsheet contained in a CSV file and call it a day. Other times, they’ve been known to hand them a SQL database and leave them to fend for themselves. And for the unaware, SQL is a programming language that only readable to computer programmers.

 

The implications of the above situations are rather grave. For one, what happens if your clinic becomes the subject of an audit? Well, allow us to provide you with a few tips. We speak to many clinicians who are shopping around for an EMR system that fits, and we encourage them to ask the following 5 questions when thinking about changing your EMR software vendor:

 

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