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Note: Consulting firms hired to help providers implement Epic's EHR system don't always deliver, according to this KLAS study.
12 EHR Vendors That Stand Out (click image for larger view and for slideshow) Not a single EPIC consulting firm can provide all the expertise or resources that customers need when they install Epic's EHR. That's the conclusion of A KLAS survey that looked at 45 consulting firms.
Navigating the Sea of Epic Consulting Firms relied on interviews with 333 chief information officers, chief medical officers, IT managers, and other executives at 130 healthcare delivery organizations. KLAS identified 45 firms with Epic consulting engagements--26 consulting firms that had three or more Epic consulting engagements and an additional 19 firms engaged in at least one Epic project. The survey was completed between Jan. 1, 2010, and May 1, 2012.
Researchers found that demand for Epic consultants is at an all-time high, and the complexities of an Epic implementation project, along with meeting Meaningful Use requirements, have created a demand for high-priced IT skills that are often in short supply. To complete implementation projects on time and on budget, customers--mostly large hospitals and health systems--are forced to engage multiple consultant firms as they implement Epic's EHR.