Jason Hess and Jared Peterson of KLAS discuss how reciprocal relationships with healthcare providers pave the way toward informed healthcare IT purchasing decisions.

The localization of healthcare IT system purchasing is enough to intimidate even the most seasoned director of information management and technology. That is precisely why the healthcare research firm KLAS exists: to help providers make informed technology buying decisions through product ratings based upon the feedback of thousands of trusted healthcare technology users.

Founded in 1996 in the United States, KLAS has developed a global reputation of honest, impartial, and accurate reporting of the performance of software, equipment, infrastructure, professional services, and consulting firms within the healthcare realm. What began as a cottage business has become a respected source of information for those tasked with ensuring that optimum purchases are made for leading hospitals, clinics, and institutions. Through a reciprocal relationship with healthcare workers, that voice is empowered by means of feedback provided throughout the life cycle of purchased equipment and solutions.

KLAS also serves as a monitor over vendors through unbiased reporting from the vendors’ own customers. Along with specialized results released on an ongoing basis, annual Best in KLAS reports feature the top performers in major areas of healthcare IT, such as medical imaging, equipment, pharmacy and lab technologies, software, and infrastructure. Associated Best in KLAS Awards are presented to accomplished vendors based solely on data from customer surveys of hospital and clinic executives, administrators, physicians, nurses, clinicians, and other directors and managers that interact with each report division’s products and services.

Regarding the research firm’s emergence into the U.K. healthcare market, KLAS Executive Vice President of Sales and Strategy Jason Hess said, “We are extremely pleased to be moving into markets beyond U.S. borders. As part of this globalization, KLAS is currently conducting a study to assess international market share of core electronic patient record (EPR) vendors with an international presence. Meanwhile, new U.K. provider subscribers to KLAS reports and services have access to all of the U.S.-based performance data as a starting point for their purchasing decisions.”

Jared Peterson, KLAS Executive Vice President of Operations, added, “KLAS will approach the United Kingdom healthcare IT market very similarly to how our native market is approached. But our research methodology will likely vary in the number of questions presented to providers regarding their usage as providers grow into the localization of IT purchasing and the life cycle of their buys. Of course, language subtleties and terminologies utilized in our reports will vary slightly across the Atlantic.”

According to Hess, “Decisions being made in the U.S. toward healthcare IT buys are largely core or ‘suite’ purchases. In the U.K. at present, healthcare IT software is being purchased in more of a best-of-breed, piece-by-piece fashion. That trend does seem to be shifting according to what we are seeing from the UK around core EPR solutions, so KLAS is poised to provide insight toward educated decision-making in Britain, for either core or pieced, best-of-breed purchases.”

Peer-to-peer interaction is a key benefit of KLAS’ offerings to healthcare professionals, including KLAS Connect, a social network of sorts for open dialogue between providers. One of KLAS’ beneficial offerings, MyKLAS, is an informational dashboard for providers featuring custom alerts, available reports for download, and other critical information about vendor performance. Together, these informational services will help British providers navigate through the new, more competitive healthcare IT vendor landscape.

Peterson understands how U.K. directors of information management and technology will be quickly and fully immersed in the buying process while vendors learn how to approach the new market. Of this competitive sales environment he said, “Providers are likely to find the purchasing process – and the bombardment by vendors – a little overwhelming at times. KLAS exists to make sense of the many offerings on the market and to guide purchasing executives around vendor performance toward an effective spend.”

KLAS will first publish the U.K.-oriented Core EPR Market Share report by February 2012. This is to be followed by their U.K. EPR Perception report in April, which will indicate which vendors are being considered by purchasing officials, motivations for that consideration, and which brands are being avoided. In May, an International PACS report is scheduled for release. Meanwhile, providers may access all of KLAS’ existing reports and data through KLASresearch.com and an associated customizable user experience through a MyKLAS subscription.

For more information
Membership in KLAS and the trusted organization’s research may be gained by contacting Jason Hess at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Jared Peterson at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .