There are thousands of healthcare technology companies and new vendors are continuing to pop up and offer innovative solutions to difficult challenges that providers face on a daily basis. With so many vendors and possibilities, it is important that healthcare providers understand what to look for when selecting a company to contract with. From HIPAA compliance to features and functionalities, these are the 5 things healthcare providers should consider when making selections.

The 5 Things Healthcare Leaders Should Look for When Evaluating Healthcare Technology Companies

1. HIPAA Compliance

• Keeping patient data safe and secure is of the utmost importance when it comes to implementing any kind of health tech. Not every piece of technology will need to access patient information, but those that do should be HIPAA and HITECH secure. Select a company that complies with all protocols and is dedicated to protecting the privacy and security of health information.

2. Seamless Workflow Integration
Even those at the forefront of health care innovation may not want to adopt a new technology unless it can help augment their current processes. For example, many healthcare providers saw challenges with implementing an EMR, which was a technology aimed at saving time, and which ultimately slowed down workflows and took time away from patient care. Select a technology that will enhance current processes and programs. This can be seen in a variety of ways, such as additional staff efficiency, happier patients, or better decision making from leaders.

3. Robust Reporting Platform
Every single piece of healthcare technology should enable you to collect and interpret data that will drive data-backed decisions that lead to long-term and sustainable improvements. Without a strong reporting or insights platform, the healthcare technology company will diminish in value to you and your organization.

4. Strategic Partnership
How a vendor views the client relationship is immensely important. When looking at tech companies, look for a vendor that sees you as a partner as opposed to a client. Partners influence the overall direction of the technology by giving constant feedback and input, whereas clients aren’t given as much of a voice. When vendors seek your opinion and feedback, the technology you purchased will have more value that is specific to your organization.

5. Results-Oriented
At the end of the day, choosing to purchase and use healthcare technology is an investment in achieving a desired outcome. This may be better patient outcomes, providing higher quality care, meeting compliance metrics, cutting costs, or reducing staff turnover. When choosing a company to work with, review their case studies and overviews to see which results they’ve been able to achieve and with which organization. This, in turn, will lead to a solid understanding of which results are feasible and how to achieve them.

As healthcare continues to see opportunities for improvements, more technology options will continue to rise. For healthcare leaders making decisions on which technology companies to partner with, ensuring that these five criteria are met will help ensure that the right decision is made for both patients and staff.