The Wisconsin Health Information Technology Extension Center (WHITEC) is issuing a request for information to help fulfill our common mission to assist providers in their efforts to achieve meaningful EHR use in pursuit of healthcare quality and efficiency improvements.   

This RFI is the first step in a process intended to select a group of primary care, ambulatory EHR vendors to be designated by WHITEC as "preferred." Through the establishment of this preferred vendor program, WHITEC intends to maintain ongoing, healthy competition between participating vendors but at the same time will establish a number of ground rules and standards that will make the vendor selection process more efficient and effective. The vendors that apply for this "preferred" designation should approach this project with a willingness to be judged based on accurate contract, functionality, and price differentiations, rather than by sales strategies that may not always be in the providers' (and their patients') best interests.

The following are expectations of the vendors who participate in WHITEC's "preferred vendor" process:

• Price discount for practices participating in WHITEC
• Simplified selection process to include a condensed RFP process. Vendor will work with WHITEC staff to identify "canned" vs. clinic specific responses .  A smaller subset of questions could be asked if the "canned" responses were automatically provided.
• Standard contract for which WHITEC could have a consultant negotiate key points prior to the selection process for practices.
• Participation in the WHITEC vendor relations committee
• Training for WHITEC staff on vendor's product to include reporting and documentation tools
• Copy of software or sandbox software for staff to access
• Collaborate on tools and templates to make meaningful use easier
• Identify a key contact to work with WHITEC staff
• Problem escalation process defined
• Commitment to achieve stages 1 - 3  of meaningful use and both temporary and permanent certification
• Work with WHITEC on HIE connection

Both of the Excel templates are meant to be completed and returned. The RFI is to be completed from the standpoint of working with WHITEC, while the RFP is meant to offer an example of what a practice/customer would receive from you.

Please complete and return the following RFI/RFP documents by Friday, July 9, 2010.  Return via email to nargue@metastar.com or by mail to:

WHITEC
c/o Nancy Argue
2909 Landmark Place
Madison, WI  53713

RFI/RFP Documents
     Preferred Vendor RFI
     RFI Response Template
     Preferred Vendor RFP
     RFP Response Template

If you have any questions regarding this process please direct them to Christopher Becker, WHITEC HIT Specialist, at cbecker@whitec.org.