Hospitals have been making big investments in interactive patient systems, finding that they're more useful than mere televisions thanks to the education and entertainment they offer patients.
A new report from KLAS finds that they're are looking for more advanced functionality and connectivity, seeking greater returns and improved patient outcomes.
Generally speaking, products from TVR Communications outperform those from other IPS vendors "in all areas of sales, support, and technology," according to report, which noted that GetWellNetwork and SONIFI Health also scored well for their deeper functionalities.
[Also: Are EHRs getting better? Readers rank vendors higher than last year in new survey]
The hospitals using Epic for their IPS were satisfied, according to KLAS, but it's a small sample of respondents. Cerner too has a "limited" client base of early adopters who tended to report that the product development is "incomplete," according to the report, which noted that Cerner is the only vendor with a performance score below 80.
While it's fairly common in other areas of IT for hospitals to abandon best-in-breed systems in favor of products developed by their electronic health record vendor, that so far hasn't been the case with ISP, said KLAS researchers.
"Cerner EMR customers say integration gives CareAware MyStation some cost advantages, but nearly two-thirds say the product’s maturity and functionality do not yet justify migrating," they said. "About two-thirds of Epic EMR customers say they are planning or considering a MyChart Bedside implementation. The product’s EMR integration successfully delivers patient-portal-like capabilities to hospital patient rooms. Some say MyChart Bedside is unlikely to displace their current IPS solution because it lacks key IPS functionality, including entertainment options."
Whichever vendor they use, most hospitals are still looking for more from their IPS tools, beyond entertainment and education. They're looking for real-time communication capabilities, better reporting analytics and – perhaps ironically, given Cerner's and Epic's limited market share – better integration with their EHR systems.
Providers most often say that suboptimal EHR integration "is the single largest barrier to achieving more meaningful outcomes," according to KLAS.
Twitter: @MikeMiliardHITN
Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com