Four systems earn top scores in EHR report

Electronic health record (EHR) systems from eClinicalWorks, Cerner, Sage, and NextGen stood out among eight vendors reviewed for midsize-to-large physician practices in a report by a market research firm.

The IDC Health Insights report, “IDC MarketScape: U.S. Ambulatory EMR/EHR for Midsize and Large Practices 2011 Vendor Assessment,” also reviews systems by vendors Allscripts, Epic Systems, GE Healthcare, and McKesson.

Although more than 150 EHR vendors serve midsize-to-large practices with 20 physicians or more, IDC Health Insights narrowed its focus to these eight vendors based on the vendors’ estimated market share and the fact that they serve at least 15,000 providers, according to authors Judy Hanover and Sven Lohse. The evaluations were based on vendor interviews, customer references, and secondary research on the Web, and IDC’s internal data from its other research. Researchers rated products using 48 criteria in two categories: current capabilities and strategy capabilities.

Cerner, eClinicalWorks, NextGen, and Sage landed the best scores in those two categories, reaching the highest rankings in the report’s “Major Players” level. Other vendors also ranked at that level but did not score as well.

“Each offers competitive products that align with customer perceptions of value and strong functionality, and they have executed sound business strategies that are very likely to align with customer needs as the market evolves,” the authors wrote.

NextGen and Sage are participating vendors in the ground-breaking Medical Economics EHR Study, beginning this month. The Sage Group completed the sale of its healthcare division to Vista Equity Partners in November. The new company is called Vitera Healthcare Solutions.

Cerner scored well because of its Web-based “Software-as-a-Service” (SaaS) functionality and its internal business strength. eClinicalWorks also earned high marks for its SaaS functionality and its early investment in the service model. NextGen was lauded for its comprehensive functionality and flexibility, and Sage stood out for its positive user feedback, according to the report.

Although all vendors didn’t reach the “Major Player” level, each demonstrated strengths, according to researchers. The report contains an in-depth profile of each vendor and their products and an EHR system selection guide.

The full report, Document # HI230719, is available for sale to registered users of the IDC Health Insights Web site.

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