KLAS 2018 Global EMR Performance Report: Regional Market Preferences Vary as Leading Vendors Expand Globally
The global market for Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is as diverse and widespread as the countries and cultures served by this technology. IT maturity levels vary across regions, leading to different preferences for Electronic Medical Record (EMR) vendors, who in turn strive to address distinct healthcare needs in each region.
KLAS Research is a healthcare IT data research firm dedicated to providing the industry with accurate and authentic studies on healthcare software and services, which are utilized by healthcare enterprises, providers, and payers worldwide. The company’s 2018 Global EMR Performance Report evaluates the unique preferences in the EMR market across Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) has compiled the main content of this report for you.
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Drawing on 18 months of patient feedback from 365 inpatient service providers worldwide, this new report aims to provide guidance on how vendors can “accurately respond to regional demands.” It measures “the level of confidence customers have in vendors’ overall R&D efforts, their commitment to healthcare across various regions, and their strategic collaboration capabilities with organizations,” thereby helping to drive further development of the EMR market.
This report examines the performance of smaller, more localized companies, such as Agfa HealthCare, Cambio, ChipSoft, Dedalus (Medasys), DXC Technology’s Lorenzo, everis, MV SOUL, Philips Tasy Java, and Tieto.
KLAS notes that in recent years, as global IT deployments have expanded and deepened, their scale has generally increased significantly, “rapidly transforming the global EMR landscape.” However, many of the larger, multi-regional EMR vendors have gained favor in highly competitive overseas markets, largely because they are well-known names in the U.S. market.
For example, while the name “Epic” remains relatively new in many countries and regions, its overall global satisfaction rate stands at a high 75%. As the only company on the list with operations worldwide, Cerner also boasts customer satisfaction levels above the average. Meanwhile, some EMR vendors choose to focus on specific countries and regions; for instance, Meditech limits its business scope to Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
According to KLAS reports, there are significant regional disparities in the global EMR market in terms of both market share and performance. “Multi-regional vendors may have a substantial customer base in certain regions while having little to no presence in others.”
KLAS reports that Meditech has long played a significant role in the Canadian market and is highly regarded for meeting “Canada-specific needs.” The company’s recently launched expanded platform “will be critical for long-standing customers on its legacy platforms who need to modernize their technology to meet market demands.” The report notes that Cerner’s performance in Canada is reasonably strong, but Canadian clients frequently express the perception that Cerner “prioritizes the U.S. market while overlooking Canada’s unique characteristics.” Allscripts, meanwhile, is working to develop more localized functionalities, and broadly speaking, customers are observing a higher level of strategic engagement from the company.
Overall, European customers have given Epic positive reviews, but they noted that the company “may overlook market nuances, slowing its regional growth.” Cerner has strengthened relationships with Millennium customers and bolstered their confidence in its R&D efforts, although it has not always been able to respond quickly to service change requests in certain regions. InterSystems has rapidly expanded across the European market but is facing “development and implementation challenges.” Meanwhile, despite each company confronting specific challenges, Agfa HealthCare, Cambio, ChipSoft, and Dedalus (Medasys) have scored highly, driven by customer confidence in their R&D and regional investments.
For many years, InterSystems has maintained a leading position in the EMR market in the Middle East. However, researchers have found that “the implementation of multiple concurrent initiatives in the UAE has been impacted by resource shortages in the region, and existing InterSystems customers have also been affected, albeit to a lesser degree and scope.” On the other hand, Cerner, the EMR vendor with the largest market share in the region, has received positive feedback from customers for its “robust functionality, high level of integration, and stable performance.” According to KLAS, Epic’s customers in the region expressed high satisfaction but also “hoped to see greater regional influence from Epic and improvements in its regional business expertise.”
According to KLAS, Cerner’s business applications in the Asia-Pacific region have deepened over the past few years, driven by its provision of more robust cloud capabilities in the region. Meanwhile, researchers report that InterSystems’ performance in the region has declined significantly. Nevertheless, its customers in China and Thailand generally express satisfaction with the company.
KLAS reports that MV and Philips are the largest EMR vendors in the region, but customer perceptions of them have diverged over the past year. Customer ratings for MV have increased slightly, driven by its user-friendly products and continued R&D investment. In contrast, Philips’ customer ratings have declined, despite improvements in its products, particularly in terms of stability. Historically, Philips’ Latin American customer base has been centered in Brazil, and its expansion beyond Brazil has left Brazilian customers feeling “forgotten.”
KLAS researchers wrote, “Epic remains a relatively new player in many regions, but the company performs best in delivering consistently positive experiences across regions by establishing strong partnerships and strategic guidance relationships throughout the implementation process.”
Cerner is the only EMR vendor with customers in every region worldwide. “Although overall satisfaction is above average, clients report that they have largely driven their own success. Cerner is willing to engage strategically, albeit often passively, and frequently at additional cost.”
Meanwhile, the report stated that Meditech “performed above average in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland due to increased strategic partnerships in recent years.” The report expressed concerns about the company’s slow growth and development in these markets. It also indicated that InterSystems has experienced some market decline in recent years because it was “unable to provide sufficient staff to meet growing regional demand.”