More and more providers are taking software-as-a-service EMRs seriously, according to a new KLAS report. They're intrigued by the systems' lower price and easy maintenance, and reassured by advances in the security of cloud-based data storage.

The study, "SaaS EMR 2012: Is It For You?" assesses the performance of software-as-a-service EMR products from vendors including AdvancedMD, athenahealth, Bizmatics, CureMD, MedPlus/Quest Diagnostics, MIE, OptumInsight, Practice Fusion, Sevocity and Waiting RoomSolutions.


Its findings suggest that, in changing reimbursement environment where physicians are having to do more with less, the relatively modest hardware expenses and ease of use, combined with growing confidence in cloud storage continue to make Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions more enticing.

KLAS spoke with nearly 300 healthcare providers currently using SaaS EMRs to get an idea of which vendors offer the most comprehensive solutions. Providers identified four key areas that differentiated the vendors: EMR response time, customer support, product quality and "bang for the buck."

EMR response time compared to overall performance score:

"The SaaS EMR deployment model is becoming more popular for providers who want minimal up-front cost and prefer to give the responsibility of the care and feeding of the software to the vendor," said research director and report author Erik Bermudez. "Luckily for providers, there are plenty of good options."

Access the full KLAS report here.