The Request For Proposal Process

When a healthcare organization wants to purchase an Electronic Health Record, how do they know that each vendor they are considering is giving them the same consistent information about their product so that a good decision can be made? The healthcare organization requires each vendor to fill out a Request for Proposal or an RFP. Each vendor must fill out the same document and answer the same questions. That way the healthcare organization can compare “apples to apples” so to speak, and compare each vendor to see what they offer in answer to each question. It is important that the RFP is thorough and addresses every aspect of the EHR that is required for the healthcare organization.

Here is a template of a standard RFP for an Electronic Health Record.

Review the RFP and answer the following questions by listing each question and typing your answer in paragraph form after the question. Be sure to explain your answer.

Why do you think the information asked for in the Market Data section is important?
What does the RFP ask about reporting capabilities?
What section would you review to ensure that the vendor would be there for you after the system was implemented?
What section would you review to ensure that all of your employees would understand how to use the system?
What section or sections would you want to be sure to review if you were the HIPAA Privacy and Security officer and why?
What section or sections would you be interested in if you were a doctor, and why?
What section or sections would you be interested in if you were an Information Technology Manager, and why?