Best-of-breed software systems may no longer be the way to go for emergency departments, KLAS reports.

An increasing number of hospitals are replacing stand-alone, best-of-breed emergency department software with enterprise solutions that foster better integration, the Orem, Utah-based research firm says in a new report. But, it warns, many of those solutions aren’t satisfying ED clinicians.

“Emergency Department Information Systems: Is Best of Breed Still the Best Approach?” offers the opinions of more than 500 providers and includes performance ratings for 18 emergency department information system (EDIS) solutions.

Among the findings, the report notes, 72 percent of those planning to buy or replace an EDIS are leaving a best-of-breed product in favor of an enterprise offering. At the same time, the report says, ED customers of enterprise vendors Cerner, Eclipsys, McKesson and MEDITECH are having some of the highest levels of buyer’s remorse.

“With the exception of Epic, EDIS solutions from the large enterprise vendors consistently score well below the KLAS average for software satisfaction – while five of the top six rated offerings are best-of-breed products,” said Steve VanWagenen, KLAS’ clinical research director and author of the study. “That gap underscores the challenge many CIOs face in choosing between an ED solution that’s an extension of the EMR versus a product more tailored to the needs of clinicians.”