TEXT/PODCAST: KLAS Finds Providers Seeking MU Help

Nearly 70 percent of healthcare providers expect to hire a professional services firm to help with the demands of achieving Meaningful Use, according to a new report from Orem, Utah-based KLAS entitled, “Shifting Demand for Consultants: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not, and Why.” (click here for a Podcast interview with report author Mike Smith, KLAS general manager of financial and services research)

In what may be good news for shoppers, they seem to have more choices than ever before. In 2007, KLAS reports, just five firms enjoyed significant provider mindshare, while today 13 do. Accenture, ACS, CTG, FCG (now CSC) and IBM now share the stage with Vitalize, Dell Perot, maxIT and many others, as intellectual capital has been spread out as key people have left the top firms, the organization states.

The KLAS report details which consulting firms are being considered the most by providers who are looking to hire outside help. Topping that list is CSC, which has moved from near the bottom of provider mindshare in 2007 to the top in 2010, and is today considered in 17 percent of deals. Vitalize is second on the list, being considered in 12 percent of purchase decisions, followed by Dell Perot at 9 percent. Other firms highlighted in the KLAS report include Accenture, ACS, Beacon Partners, Dearborn Advisors, Deloitte, IBM, maxIT Healthcare, and Navin, Haffty & Associates (NHA).

Another factor that is driving demand for experienced consultants is the migration of Meditech clients to the company’s version 6.0 platform, states KLAS. As Meditech tries to move more than 1,500 U.S. hospitals to v.6 and advanced clinical features like CPOE, firms like Beacon Partners, Dell Perot and especially NHA, are seeing much more demand for their services than three years ago, thanks to their experience with Meditech, the report finds.

One-on-One With KLAS General Manager of Financial and Services Research Mike Smith

[audio:One-on-One-W-Mike-Smith.mp3]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (12.3MB)

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