User Requirements Meet Large-Scale EHR Suites: Norwegian Preparations for Epic

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Information Systems Management

Background:

• Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are increasingly standard in healthcare delivery.
• Large-scale EHR suite systems are typically implemented.
• The availability of pre-existing EHRs influences user requirement definition and contract negotiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the negotiation process of user requirements for EHR implementation.
• To understand how user requirements are shaped by vendor offerings and existing customer needs.
• To analyze the conditions influencing requirement inclusion in contracts for large EHR systems.

Main Methods:

• Case study analysis of EHR implementation preparations.
• Qualitative investigation of user requirement negotiation dynamics.
• Examination of vendor influence and customer-driven requirements.

Main Results:

• User requirements are not solely defined by end-users but are co-shaped by vendor capabilities.
• The implementation of ready-for-use EHR suites alters the traditional requirements engineering process.
• Vendor EHRs and the needs of other clients significantly influence the requirements set for new implementations.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of large EHR systems requires a nuanced approach to user requirements, acknowledging vendor influence.
• Contractual decisions regarding requirements are impacted by the pre-existing nature of EHR systems.
• Understanding the interplay between user needs, vendor systems, and existing customer demands is crucial for successful EHR adoption.