10 hidden costs of switching EHRs

What does EMR software actually cost?

Several of the costs above won't appear on a vendor's price sheet, and the ones that do are hard to compare across vendors.

Software Advice's free EMR software pricing guide lays out common pricing models and price ranges, plus the upfront, subscription and hidden costs to ask about before you request proposals.

The Medical Group Management Association's guidance for EHR proposals tells practices to make vendors itemize licensing, implementation, training and data migration, along with ongoing subscription and support fees and third-party integrations.

In a survey of 305 family physicians whose practices had changed EHRs, 81% called the time investment a moderate or major challenge and 70% said the same of lost productivity during the transition. Asked whether they were happy they had changed systems, 43% agreed.