Managing everything from appointments and preventive care to medications and test results in one place improves patient care—as long as your electronic health record (EHR) software works for you. But sometimes, your tools leave you feeling trapped instead of liberated when they don’t match the way your team works.
Discover the ins and outs of vendor lock-in and how breaking free with EHR software personalization can improve your processes to put patients first.
Vendor Lock-In in Healthcare Technology
Have you ever kept doing something the same way because change would cause problems? Maybe it was sticking with Microsoft Word even though your colleagues swore up and down that Google Docs was better or keeping Outlook instead of switching to Gmail because it’s what you used for subscriptions.
Vendor lock-in is similar. You’re forced to continue using an inferior tool because switching isn’t practical and even creates too much of a financial or productivity burden. We see it often in the professional space, especially in the healthcare industry.
Vendor Lock-In Challenges with EHR Software
You need specific data on every patient, and your EHR system brings it all together. The problem is that because it’s woven into key operations, you become dependent on that one specific EHR system, and it doesn’t always fit the bill.
Switching tools seems like a pipe dream, even in the face of interoperability issues that make it nearly impossible to use and integrate best-in-breed apps of choice because they don’t share information. It seems more practical to make do—and adopt tedious workarounds to suit your needs—because making a switch or investing in expensive customization takes time and burns through the budget. Still, you’re stuck. Patients suffer because you're consumed by data and inefficient workflows that rely on vendor support to work the way you need them to.
How EHR Software Personalization Improves Patient Care
The right tools help you function effectively and keep patients at the core. EHR personalization allows healthcare providers to tailor electronic health records to their specific needs and workflows and get back to what matters most.
Better Productivity and Efficiency and Less Paperwork
A system that does exactly what you need without time-consuming workarounds? Personalized EHR software delivers the features and functions to match your workflows, allowing clinicians to spend more time with patients and automate behind-the-scenes data.
This allows you to send referrals and prescriptions and generate patient reminders for appointment scheduling or annual screenings in fewer clicks. Plus, get out from under the mountains of paperwork by leveraging patient tracking to streamline billing and insurance claims.
Standardized Documentation and Fewer Errors
Clinician handwriting can be as easy to read as hieroglyphics, but digital records leave little doubt. EHR software ditches hard-copy clinician notes in favor of digital records and even reduces your risk of misplacing critical data. With everything right where you need it, it’s easier to manage patient care, from providing general health guidance to flagging potential drug interactions that might cause prescription issues.
More Efficient and Patient-Centric Care Delivery
Make patient care that much better. An EHR helps you maintain continuous lifetime records of patient health that inform diagnoses and care. This information is invaluable, but if you can't find it, it's of no use. With a personalized EHR, the right patient data is always at your fingertips via charts and dashboards and you can use it to coordinate across practices and facilities to provide the best care.
Enhancing Healthcare Independence
Your software only does X, Y, and Z? Vendors need so many weeks to implement an update? Take the reins instead. EHR personalization can empower healthcare organizations to go their own way.
The Platform Does What You Need It to Do
Forget an out-of-the-box setup. EHR personalization fosters flexibility, data ownership, and adaptability in healthcare settings because your tools are tailored to perform your specific tasks. There are little to no workarounds, plus you can make many—if not all—updates internally without relying on the vendor.
Benefits of Breaking Free from Vendor Lock-In
Discover a new way of working. When your EHR software is made for your hospital and your team, you win across the board. Overcoming vendor lock-in provides opportunities for:
Cost Savings
EHR software personalization gives you the keys to healthcare data rather than putting your team in the passenger seat as someone else drives. This means changes that would take vendors weeks—and cost thousands of dollars—can now be done by your team on-site and in real time.
Interoperability and Control
Tired of being limited by vendor constraints? Tailor workflows by facility, department, or user needs and enjoy interoperability that allows your team to continue working seamlessly between your EHR and other best-in-breed applications. You’re free to use the software your way and never have to worry about a vendor sunsetting the tool that keeps your records organized.
Improved Patient Outcomes
Put patients first. Efficient EHR software eats up less time and resources when it’s designed for your specific purposes. Input vital data, flag issues that may impact care, and give patients the attention they deserve.
Say Goodbye to Vendor Lock-In and Hello to Flexible EHR Software
Dealing with functional limitations or waiting for a vendor to make system updates slows you down, forcing your team to get creative to use your EHR effectively. The result? Clinician burnout and less time to focus on patient care.
Juno Health can turn things around. Take advantage of EHR personalization to match your daily workflow needs and make key updates in-house and on your terms. Get in touch to schedule your demo and see how we can help you put patient care front and center once more.
