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Overview

This section provides guidance to understand the key contract terms involved in negotiating the vendor contract. It is critical to negotiate a vendor contract that takes into account the unique circumstances of your center and incorporates flexibility to meet your reporting needs. Guidance is offered related to indemnification, warranties and disclaimers, liability, dispute resolution, termination and migration, and access to and use of the EHR data.

Purchasing EHR

EHR Vendors Most Frequently Used by Health Centers

These graphs and tables use health center reported UDS data from 2014 through 2020 to identify the EHRs most frequently used among health center programs, and show the change between years.

To Switch or Not to Switch: A Guide for Community Clinics Considering Changing EHRs

The purpose of this guide is to help CHC leaders weigh the costs and benefits of remaining with their current EHR system (possibly with enhanced functionality) or switching to a different one. It is intended to be useful to all those participating in decisions about EHR systems, not just to technical experts. The guide offers a step-wise approach to asking important questions, making decisions, and moving forward. The appendices describe the types of products and services that are available to CHCs and that are mentioned throughout the guide.

Health Center EHR Transition

The HITEQ Center has a number of EHR transition tools that may be helpful for health centers that are considering a transition from one EHR to another. This resource brings together all these tools for easy access.

ONC Report: EHR Contracts Untangled

ONC’s guide to EHR selection and contracting.

Ability to Use Data Without Excessive Charges

This issue brief discusses a critical concern during health center’s EHR contracting process – the need to preserve the ability to use data without excessive charges, which had hindered many health center’s ability to meet UDS and other reporting requirements.

Access to Information about Database Structures

This issue brief discusses a critical concern during health center’s health IT contracting process – the need to have access to the underlying database structures to the health IT applications (e.g., EHR, reporting system… etc.) The lack of access to database structure will hinder the health center’s ability to access the data captured in the system, and risk vendor lock-in and have records trapped in data silos in the future.

2013 ONC EHR Contracts

This document explains key EHR contract terms and what purchasers (health centers) need to know about them. Understanding these terms will help health centers select an appropriate EHR system and protect the health center from business and patient safety risks that may arise. If health centers misunderstand these terms, they may not be able to rely on their contract to help prevent disruptions to their practices.

Acknowledgements

This resource collection was compiled by the HITEQ Center staff with guidance from HITEQ Advisory Committee members and collaborators of the HITEQ Center.