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02/21/2014 Raymond F Posa, MBA
EHR Back-UP of a Cloud System (Michael DeVito, DPM)
Dr. DeVito brings up a very important issue that many are facing today. Many EMRs are moving toward a cloud-based model. The cloud model offers many advantages such as lower infrastructure cost (no server to purchase and maintain), the EMR company can handle all of the updates and patches and does your backup for you. So for many the ease of ownership is appealing.
One very important item that gets overlooked when entering into a cloud EMR is the exit plan. When we buy a new software program we only think about the good it will do for use and we look forward to a rosey future together, similar to a marriage. The problem come when things don’t work out. A little more than half of all marriages don’t work out and the numbers for those who leave their EMR are similarly high. If you have been through a divorce or know someone that has, you know what a stressful and traumatic event this can be. When it comes time to leave your EMR, things can get equally nasty if you have not prepared ahead. One of the most important things to negotiate in an EMR software contract for cloud-based service is the exit plan. This needs to be clearly spelled out in the contract. You want exact details as to how you get your data upon conclusion of the contract and what format they will provide it in. If they just dump a proprietary database onto a disk for you and hand it to you, that is worthless because you will not be able to see any of your data.
In Dr. DeVito’s situation, the company is at least offering to sell him a stand-alone version of the software so he can see his data locally. Yes, all cloud companies are going to stick it to you on the way out, that is just how it is. The question becomes how bad are they going to stick it to you. This is something that needs to be negotiated in the very beginning when you are making the purchase. If you use cloud-based EMR you need to keep in mind, that if you every decide to switch software, you need to make sure you have access to your old data for at least 6 years. During an audit you may have to produce specific reports and if you do not have a running copy of your software you could have a huge problem. If you are already in a cloud EMR setting or are planning to buy into one, make sure of the exit terms in your contract. Make sure they are spelled out in great detail, have you IT company review it and make sure that what you get at the end of the contract will be usable. One of the features that all cloud users should insist upon is the ability to work “off-line”. Basically, this is a local copy of the software so if you were to lose your internet connection, you would still have some access to your data. This feature can also be a life saver in the event you want to leave your EMR company. Raymond F Posa, MBA, Farmingdale, NJ, rposa@themantagroup.com
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