What You Should Know:
– According to a recent KLAS report, Allscripts and
eClinicalWorks EMRs are not a good fit for pediatric practices, while Greenway
Intergy is improving.
– PCC, athenahealth, and Office Practicum EMRs named best suited for pediatric offices.
Despite their unique needs, many ambulatory pediatric
offices are expected to “make do” with generalized EMR templates and charting.
From growth charts, to well-child visits, to immunization tracking, to registry
integration, pediatric offices often find their EMR doesn’t meet their
needs. KLAS’ latest report, “Pediatric
Ambulatory EMR 2020: Best EMR Performers in Pediatric Settings”
examines which EMR vendors best ensure pediatric provider success by providing
an outstanding EMR and tailored service. Note that this report is focused on
ambulatory-focused vendors, including pediatric-specific EMR vendors.
Allscripts and eClinicalWorks EMRs Not a Good Fit for
Pediatric Practices; Greenway Intergy Making Improvements
While Allscripts’ EMR is highly customizable and can be
tailored for use in pediatric settings, customers report that in order to make
the solution work for their needs, KLAS reports customers have to dedicate
large investments of time and resources (e.g., hire an IT team to run and
customize the EMR) for customization/optimizations. These investments are not
always communicated to pediatric practices during the sales process, leading to
mixed results and expectations around Allscripts’ pediatric functionality. In addition,
customers cited issues with Allscripts’ support is often subpar or nonexistent.
Although KLAS conducted a limited number of interviews with eClinicalWorks
customers, they cited a negative view of the EMR’s quality, saying it does not
meet the needs of pediatric practices and does not come with necessary
pediatric-specific content or workflows. Multiple respondents also complain
about bugs, crashes, and problematic upgrades that introduce new problems
without bringing substantive fixes. Historically, Greenway Health customers
have felt the solution falls short in aspects like ease of use and needed
functionality; however, a number of interviewed customers feel the vendor is
making more of an effort to listen to customers’ problems and deliver requested
pediatric-specific functionalities.
PCC, athenahealth, and Office Practicum EMRs Best Suited
for Pediatrics
KLAS reports PCC (one of two pediatric-specific vendors in
this report) stands out with the highest overall score and the most consistent
customer satisfaction. They have a proven history of and reputation for
supporting customers and delivering the pediatric-specific technology needed to
successfully run an ambulatory pediatric practice.
KLAS reported athenahealth’s EMR also performs well in
pediatric settings; more than 90% of pediatric customers are satisfied with the
solution and its pediatric specific functionality. Additionally, customers of
Office Practicum (the other pediatric-specific EMR vendor) are generally
satisfied with the functionality they receive and feel it helps make their
practices successful. Recent issues with nickel-and-diming and buggy updates
have caused some frustration for a number of interviewed customers.
For more information about the KLAS report, visit https://klasresearch.com/report/pediatric-ambulatory-emr-2020/1378
