Self assessment for practices considering electronic medical record systems.

Medical practices are increasingly adopting electronic medical record (EMR) systems to help manage documentation and clinical work flow. With literally thousands of vendors and system offerings and considering the investment required for an EMR system, carefully planning for an EMR system is critical. Too often, practices transition to EMRs without an internal assessment and are then disappointed with the post-implementation results of their new system. This article outlines key questions practices should consider before purchasing a system to pave the way for optimal results.