KLAS report: Practices increasingly consider lesser-known EMR vendors

While Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions, NextGen Healthcare Information Systems and eClinicalWorks remain the most popular EMR vendors among physician practices, even big medical groups are increasingly considering products from smaller vendors, a new KLAS report says.

"The vendors with the largest market share--companies like Allscripts, NextGen and eClinicalWorks--are considered the most often in purchasing decisions," notes report author Mark Wagner, general manager of ambulatory research at Orem, Utah-based KLAS Enterprises. "What's interesting, however, is the number of smaller vendors, such as athenahealth, e-MDs and Greenway, which are getting more looks, even from practices that are larger than their typical clients."

Of the 370 provider organizations interviewed--all of which intend to purchase a new ambulatory EMR in the next two years--35 percent said they are considering an Allscripts product, 32 percent are looking at NextGen and 29 percent are evaluating eClinicalWorks. However, among practices with five or fewer physicians, 72 percent are looking at products from other vendors.

Almost one-third of those surveyed are replacing an existing EMR, and half of those are switching because their current product either lacks certification or functionality to help them get to meaningful use, according to KLAS.

For more information:
- read this Healthcare IT News story
- order the KLAS report