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Epic, Impact Advisors, and Premier Move to Head of KLAS

Analysis  |  By Mandy Roth  
   February 01, 2019

Interoperability and integration will create foundation for innovation more than AI and other emerging solutions, says KLAS executive.

In its annual report, which surveys providers and payers about top performing healthcare software and service organizations, three established companies received top accolades from KLAS, the Salt Lake City-based research and insights firm.

The Best in KLAS 2019 Software & Services report cited Epic, Impact Advisors, and Premier for notable performance, with recognition in multiple categories. No other vendors received more than one Best in KLAS award.

With so much transformation occurring in the healthcare industry and so many new players and approaches popping up in the healthcare IT space, HealthLeaders asked KLAS how innovation is impacting the solutions companies are now offering health systems. 

"Innovation is helping healthcare providers only to the extent that it is solving problems that these providers are facing on daily basis," responded Mitchell Josephson, vice president of strategic relations at KLAS via email. "Many on the periphery of healthcare see things like AI [artificial intelligence] and blockchain as being innovations that will really change the game in healthcare. The reality is that if vendors and providers could just get aligned around interoperability and integration, then it would truly innovate the delivery of care, helping providers get data out of today's disparate systems and into their workflows."

Josephson continued, "As this happens, the triple aim seems more tangible, the ability to improving the experience for the patient, population health, and the reduction of healthcare costs seems in reach."

The companies making the greatest strides in performance include:

  • Epic received top honors this year in multiple categories and was named the top overall software suite for the ninth consecutive year. In addition, the company was named the top overall physician practice vendor, won Best in KLAS awards in nine segments, and won category leader awards in two segments.
     
  • Impact Advisors was named the top overall IT services firm, an honor that had been awarded to breaking Optimum Healthcare IT for the last two years. Impact Advisors also won one Best in KLAS award for HIT enterprise implementation leadership and one Category Leader award for clinical optimization.
     
  • Premier earned the award of top overall healthcare management consulting firm.

Three companies were cited for their improvements to existing products:

  • Most improved software product was awarded to GE Healthcare’s Universal Viewer for the second year in a row
     
  • Greenway Health Intergy EHR (11–75 Physicians) was named most improved physician practice product
     
  • ARxIUM MedSelect Cabinets received the most improved medical equipment product designation

The complete list of winners is posted on the KLAS website.

“Best in KLAS is about raising the bar for healthcare technology,” said Adam Gale, president of KLAS in a news release. “It's providers and payers demanding better performance, usability, and interoperability. Ultimately, Best in KLAS is about giving providers and payers the tools they need to facilitate superior care and improved outcomes."

Methodology

Best in KLAS is based on information obtained from the 2,500 interviews KLAS conducts with providers and payers each month. Annually, these interviews represent the opinions of healthcare professionals and clinicians from more than 4,500 hospitals and 2,500 clinics, and account for 1,200 products and services from more than 450 vendors.

Mandy Roth is the innovations editor at HealthLeaders.

Photo credit: Shutterstock


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