Before you sign: 10 tips for tech contracts
Technology is an integral part of modern health care.
Are you getting the best deal from your technology vendor?
A few modifications to your vendor
contract can help you avoid much
of the risk associated with buying
technology. Here are some topics to
consider:
1. Version protection: Many
vendors discontinue software
only to resell you the newer
version. Instead, the vendor
should provide you with future
releases, system updates, and
new versions at no cost.
2. Government
mandates: The vendor
should stay in compliance with
all government mandates and
modify its software at no cost.
3. Tech support: Stipulate that
support fees cannot be increased by more than the
consumer price index.
4. Contract validity: Ensure the contract is not valid
until the vendor meets your acceptance requirements
(such as the system operating as promised).
5. Warranty: Ensure the vendor will correct any
malfunctions at its expense, and that support fees will
be waived throughout the correction period.
6. Malfunctions: Insist that malfunctions not corrected
within an agreed-upon time result in a full refund.
7. Source code: The vendor should put the source
code into an escrow account.
8. Transferability: The vendor should allow you to
assign or transfer your contract to a new owner.
9. Additional users: Ensure future users can be added
at a reduced cost.
10. Protection: Cyber security protection should be at
the vendor’s expense.
As a TMA member, you have access to no-cost technology
contract reviews from TMA-approved vendor Coker Group.
In addition, Coker offers a discount to members who use its
services to negotiate contract terms.
For more information about office technologies, contact TMA
at hit@texmed.org or 800-880-5720, or visit TMA’s Health
Information Technology Resource Center.
32 Dallas Medical Journal November 2018
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