The previous articles in this series looked at differences between digital settings and clinical ones, along with criteria for choosing technologies. This final article looks at practical evaluation of vendors, and how to plan for a deployment.

Evaluating the Vendor

The traits of the vendor you work with are at least as important as the technology they offer—even more important, according to Aaron Neinstein, chief medical officer at Notable. He points out that products will change quickly along with the environments where they are used. Therefore, you must make sure that the clinicians and vendors are “aligned on the vision and the problem you’re trying to solve. Be firm on the vision, fluid on the details.”

Many interviewees described technology deployment as a long-term relationship. Good support is important, but most interviewees insisted that the relationship go far beyond that. Dr. Khaliq Siddiq, chief medical officer at Clever Care Health Plan, says, “Issues that weren’t anticipated will inevitably come to the surface, so you need a partner who is flexible and solution-oriented.”

Dr. Patrick Hunt, chief medical officer at QGenda, says, “Especially as we see more and more enterprise-wide solution deployment, it’s critical that vendors provide the appropriate support to ensure effective implementation of the technology across an entire enterprise, including proper training for staff and continuous support for potential questions or concerns down the line.”

Regarding long-term relationships, Dr. Pallabi Sanyal-Dey, director of clinical operations at LeanTaaS, deprecates the term “vendor” because the client is not making a one-time purchase. She goes so far as to say that the relationship is more like a marriage: “There is no end to improvement.”

Similarly, Neinstein says you might be partnering for a decade or more, and points out that there are always unexpected bumps in the road during deployment. Organizations might have to change direction significantly.

He says that these problems can be overcome by building trust and ensuring that values are aligned between the two organizations from the start. Trust and values can also address two other challenges: determining how fast to move, and overcoming reluctance among laggards and those reluctant to try new technology.

Cindy Koppen, chief nursing officer at care.ai, looks at the vendor’s roadmap, to make sure they’re able to respond to evolving needs. She also wants to know how fast they can make requested changes.

Siddiq recommends getting references and asking previous customers how well deployments have gone. He asks whether the vendor has sufficient resources to finish the deployment successfully.

Resistance can also be handled by shared values. “People at the client site must understand that the vendor understands their pain point,” says Neinstein. “The vendor can’t just show fancy things you can do with the technology.”

Koppen reminds us that change management is always difficult, and that innovation leads to unpredictability. Sanyal-Dey even speaks of “culture management.”

Hunt prioritizes strong support from the vendor as a way to overcome the fear of change. He also writes, “Clinicians have so many challenges pulling them in different directions that learning complicated new systems is not high on their priority list. If they invest time learning a new technology and it ultimately fails, they become frustrated and are less likely to invest time and money in the next solution they are presented.”

Dr. Kate Behan, chief medical officer at Arcadia, writes, “The importance of transparent communication still rings true regardless of the setting. A clinical audience may not understand the intricacies and dynamics of IT. However, a vendor sharing details about the resources allocated to accommodate a request and the anticipated timeline to deliver on it can help align expectations and make both sides feel heard, acknowledged, and respected.”

Dr. Tim Church, chief medical officer at Wondr Health, prefers companies that have been around and have demonstrated sustainability. “Check the experience and the clinical guidelines of the company,” Church says. “You don’t want to give your sensitive data to someone who doesn’t have a track record or enough funding to make it through next month.”

Siddiq writes in email that it’s important for a vendor to be deeply embedded in health care and understand its unique needs. This is a particularly sensitive question if a vendor comes from another industry and is entering healthcare with a new product. “You don’t want to be the guinea pig,” Siddiq says. Implementations must be structured so as to minimize disruption to patient care.

Lisbeth Votruba, MSN, RN, chief clinical officer at AvaSure, points out that the vendor’s financial stability is hard to determine if the company is not public.

Deployment Issues, Planned and Unplanned

Several respondents recommended a slow roll-out—probably a good idea for any organizational change—with trying a technology out in a pilot program or in one department.

Dr. Mark Stephan, chief medical officer of Equality Health, says that technologies meant for patient use need to be explained to patients. The users need reassurance that the effort they put in is worthwhile. They also need reassurance that their personal data is safe. Besides knowing that the data is stored securely, they need to know who will see it and why.

Regarding the speed of deployment, vendors have incentives to move faster to derive more revenue. But Neinstein says that the client has to set the pace. On the other hand, Siddiq says, “Clinicians need to appreciate that the pace of implementation is often dictated by outside entities or relies on multiple inputs. Therefore, clinicians need to be flexible with timelines and appreciate that the vendor has limited flexibility.”

Christine Vogel, lead nurse educator at UbiSim, reminds managers to consider what training the users will need on the technology. Stephan recommends that during the implementation phase, managers check in with clinicians frequently for feedback. Behan writes, “Organizations should ensure that clinicians are among the stakeholders included in the planning and implementation.”

The criteria in this series hopefully helps managers and staff in clinical settings understand how digital technologies can meet their needs, how to evaluate technologies and vendors, and what to plan for. We’re in a phase where automation, digital records, workflow support, AI, and other technologies can finally unveil their potential—but we have to adopt them in the right ways.