Bigger isn’t always better. It’s a truism acknowledged by Epic Systems, a reputable provider of EHR and other software solutions for the healthcare industry. The vendor is renowned for its high-value products and services, and the loyalty it receives from a smaller (as compared to Cerner), but devoted (and growing…) customer base.
It’s also known to be somewhat inflexible at the deal table. Epic is one of the most expensive EHR systems on the market and is able to demand a premium based on its solid reputation.
But lack of flexibility at the deal table doesn’t mean there isn’t room for cost reduction across the lifetime of an Epic investment. By default, Epic’s solutions require multiple integration points with other vendor offerings – and this requirement is only expected to grow as the healthcare IT ecosystem becomes more interconnected. The integration-point contracts are typically quite negotiable - and also critically important to the success of the overall initiative. This is a key area that we focus on with clients who are making the switch to Epic, or buying an EHR solution for the first time.