Advantages and disadvantages of three EHR hosting options



Advantages and disadvantages of the three hosting optionsType of hosting optionAdvantageDisadvantagesSelf-hostedServers and data are completely under the physician practice’s controlMinimal or no connectivity required resulting in fast response timeSoftware decisions are at the discretion of physicians and their staffServers are subject to the practice environment (e.g., power outages, coffee spills, other accidents)Requires discipline to maintain backups and procedures for disaster recoveryMust purchase the EHR and operating system licenses as well as supply the hardware and software Maintain operating system and application software patches and upgrades and add devices as requiredMore demands on staff to meet practice needs despite potential lack of expertise in health ITPotentially higher total cost of ownershipResponsible for overall system and data securityOutsourcedServers are safely located in a secure data centerStill have control over software and its functions and featuresMultiple options for supportRequires continuous connectivity between your practice and the data centerMust purchase EHR and operating system licenses and may still supply the hardware and software or pay an additional monthly feeMaintain operating system and application software patches and upgradesSoftware as a Service (SaaS)No servers Subscribe (typically a monthly fee) rather than pay for a license to use the softwareSoftware maintenance or upgrades and system and data security are the responsibility of the vendorFewer customization options(i.e., less time spent deciding)Minimal hardware to installFewer demands on practice staffPotentially lower total cost of ownershipRequires high-quality Internet accessMay have limited customization optionsDependent on vendor supportSource: Adapted from AMA. Health information technology. April 2011. ................
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