How to handle software service agreements in radiology

Michael J. Cannavo.There are a number of important issues to be aware of when it comes to service of software-based systems like RIS, PACS, electronic medical record (EMR), and other related systems. And within these systems, there are items that need to be addressed separately such as system and modality interfaces, DICOM routers, and specialized turnkey hardware components such as vendor-neutral archives (VNA’s). Components like scanners or CD burners also may need repair or calibration from time to time.What you get from your service agreement depends on what you contract for. Most facilities just sign the standard agreement without even reading it hoping that when they need service it will be taken care of in a timely fashion. Sadly there is no universal definition of the word “timely” any more than there are any penalties associated with failure to meet a certain standard of service responsiveness. There is a lot of vagueness in most service agreements with 95% of what is put in writing in the contract almost certain to be interpreted in the vendor’s favor. Understand that what is in writing is not just what matters most but ALL that matters. What a client thought may be covered and the vendor’s responsibilities to the end user are just that: what they thought, not what was contractually agreed to.ResponsivenessIf there is one key to a good service agreement, it's the company’s initial responsiveness and time to at least initiate, if not complete, a repair. R...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Software Source Type: news