Sustainability, Partnership, and Teamwork in Health IT Implementation

Figure 3.2. Percentage of implementation grantees who undertook steps for vendor
selection
90%
85% 85% 85%
80%
70%
67%
60%
59%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Undertook reference checks (n=27)
Conducted needs assessment (n=27)
Reviewed vendor longevity and
financial integrity (n=27)
Issued a request for proposal (n=22)
Checked a product rating
(e.g., Gartner, KLAS) (n=27)
Source: Survey of THQIT Grantees, conducted in summer 2011.
Note: If the number of respondents (n) included for a column is less than 27, one or more respondents skipped the
question asking if they undertook a given vendor selection step.
Product usability, the availability of specific capabilities, initial purchase cost, and ongoing costs
for maintenance were the most important factors grantees considered during their vendor selection
process (Figure 3.3). In hindsight, 24 percent of grantees that considered purchase costs and 12
percent of grantees concerned with ongoing costs indicated these factors should have played a less
important role. Some grantees also felt their existing relationship with a vendor played too great
a role: 13 percent of grantees factoring in familiarity with the vendor and 25 percent of grantees
factoring in vendor incentives reported they should have placed less emphasis on those factors.
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Chapter 3. Vendor Selection and Support