KPI Challenges

• Our research showed that measuring the value and efficacy of EHRs is still a challenge to many organizations and within the healthcare industry.

• For example, data shows that while 96% of hospitals in the US have certified EHR technology, 60% of them don’t feel they can measure or note any clinical benefits of using EHR.

• To remedy this, one source notes that healthcare organizations need to combine strategic planning and clear goals with benchmarks to measure how EHR is helping them to achieve them.

• It’s also noted that given the varying goals of healthcare organizations, KPIs for EHR will vary by organization, and measurements of the efficacy of EHR should align with the long term plan of the organization.  

Suggested KPIs

• The most common EHR benefits to develop KPIs around will include revenue cycle improvements, data quality and safety improvement, improved provider and patient experiences, and reduced medical cost.
• Another common KPI is the overall reduction of time or workload. For example, it is suggested to measure if the use of the EHR reduces time to accurately record information.
•  Completion and accuracy of records is another suggested KPI for measuring the value of an EHR, which might be gained via measuring completeness of patient data, and analyzing it against healthcare industry benchmarks.
• Adaptability of an EHR software to the goals of an organization is also crucial. Industry leading EHR provider Epic has often been selected becasue they offer a streamlined, integrated solution that is usable to achieve a range of goals.
• Other KPIs mentioned by EHR software reviewers include impact on cost of care, patient engagement, and data capture rate.