Selecting An EHR Replacement: Necessary Or Necessary Evil?

Provider organizations and physician practices continue to change their EHR systems at a staggering pace. Recent estimates suggest between 30 and 50 percent of current EHR sales are for replacements of existing systems. In looking at the national healthcare landscape, it is clear that large integrated delivery networks, single hospitals with greater than 250 beds and academic institutions are actively implementing, have recently completed their implementation, or are currently replacing their EHRs.

While those findings represent a large segment of the market, we can’t forget about the smaller, independent physician practices specialties with very specific needs struggling to evolve their EHRs. A recent Black Book Rankings poll reveals that 80 percent of nephrologists, urologists, and ophthalmologists reported their EHR did not meet their basic needs. This same report shows a dissatisfaction rate of more than 70 percent among gastroenterologists, orthopedists, and immunologists. In view of these statistics, it would stand to reason the market for specialty specific EHRs will surely continue to grow.