Computer & Technology Law Guide, Resources & information

Competition in the long term care software market is beginning to have an impact on long-term care providers. General competitive pressure and new requirements in overall healthcare information technology (IT) are resulting in improvements in long-term care software, as vendors try to remain competitive and provide additional applications to meet emerging Internet functionality demands. Applications such as electronic medical records, computerized order entry, risk-management documentation, pharmacy ordering/dispensing/bar coding, clinical protocols/pathways, drug interaction databases, and Web application service provider (ASP) options are becoming available from long-term care software vendors. And even though providers don't often change their major software suites, the new applications will become very attractive when software replacement becomes necessary.

Experience has demonstrated that possibly the most important factor in ensuring successful use of software is the vendor's ability to deliver on its assurances over time. How can providers select vendors who will provide the reliable performance and relationships that are needed to support long-term care operations over time?

Know your rights and exercise them for a safe, better future.