The cost of EHR is often one of the first questions organizations ask when selecting new software. Implementing an EHR is a significant task, and it comes with a similar price tag. This article will break down the cost of an EHR implementation, how to budget, and what you can expect to pay for a system.

38% of healthcare CIOs listed ‘EMR optimization’ as their organization’s top area of planned capital investment over the next three years. This is not surprising when most practices cited increasing efficiency as their top driving factor for implementing EHR in the first place

Therefore, selecting and implementing an EHR system within budget has become a priority for many practices. Despite the demonstrated importance of EHRs in modern healthcare practice, a great deal of uncertainty exists as to how to properly understand the financial case for EHRs, or how to build an accurate and workable budget for system selection.

Choosing your EHR deployment method  (cloud vs on-premise) and factoring in associated costs

Furthermore,  the cost of an EHR over the long-term can also vary according to the method of software deployment.

The five-year TCO for on-premise and cloud-based systems show that the cloud-based option cost $58,000 while the office-based option cost practices $48,000. Upfront costs for the cloud-based system were less at $26,000 while the office-based system showed up-front costs of $33,000.

 

What is the cost of a top EMR/EHR software implementation?

Implementation costs vary according to context and the implementation plan, as such it is difficult to provide an average cost of EHR implementation.However, case-specific examples can offer some insight with regard to implementation costs. For example, the Health Affairs study cited above found that a typical multi-physician practice would spend about $162,000 to implement an EHR, with $85,500 for first-year maintenance costs.

What are the hidden costs of an EHR implementation?

When engaging in an EHR implementation cost breakdown it is important to consider that implementation budgets should include direct costs such as:

  • software licensing
  • projected maintenance
  • consulting and training fees
  • labor including overtime
  • hardware (if required – usually only required for on-premise installations)

Further, it is important to also consider indirect costs such as:

  • decreased revenue
  • lost productivity
  • decreased patient visits

When quantified, these can have a significant impact on how an implementation impacts the overall EHR budget.

 

How does a private practice stay competitive with large healthcare provides?

Tech giants are now healthcare providers, trying to attract patients with convenience. To compete, you have to deliver virtual care with the right technology.

Most telehealth vendors are also healthcare providers, with direct-to-consumer offerings that compete for your patients.

ADVANACARE isn’t a healthcare provider. In fact AADVANACARE was created by a private practice doctor out of the necessity to complete with BIG HEALTHCARE. Everything you need is right in front of you.

  • Voice recognition software makes it easy to dictate your notes.
  • Simple yet powerful navigation
  • Hosted on the cloud eliminating any and all technology issues
  • Video Conferencing built into the platform.
  • Patients love how easy telemedicine visits are with a one click nothing to install process.
  • Medical billing made super easy and accessible. Optional medical back office services available