talkEHR

The implementation process for talkEHR is designed for fast deployment, focusing on a guided setup and data transfer. The timeline is primarily determined by the effort required for data migration from your previous system.

Detailed Process and Timeline:

• Guided Setup & Onboarding: The initial process is described as a "guided setup" with "fast onboarding" support, allowing a practice to start using the system quickly.
• Data Provision: The client is responsible for providing all necessary information, including the complete data requested from their previous EHR vendor, and ensuring data accuracy and proper documentation.
• Demographics Import: The client may upload patient demographics data immediately using a data import widget to begin using the system while awaiting the full data file.
• Complete Data Importation: Once the client receives and uploads the complete data file from their previous vendor, talkEHR takes over to merge and import the data in a structured format.
• Implementation Timeline: Full data importation is typically completed within 10-12 business days after the complete file is uploaded by the client. The system's general implementation is focused on being a swift process.

Yes, talkEHR is highly customizable, featuring a large library of pre-built, specialty-specific components that can be tailored to an organization’s unique clinical and administrative requirements.

Customization Features:

• Customizable Templates and Workflows: The software comes standard with more than 70 customizable workflows, templates, and modules. This flexibility is core to its design, ensuring a cost-effective solution for various specialties.
• Specialty-Specific Configuration: The system is pre-configured with over 70 specialty-specific practice templates to tailor the clinical tools and charting experience.
• User-Level Customization: The system's flexible design allows clinicians to enjoy a personalized, yet powerful, experience to manage their patient care and practice operations.

In addition to the base monthly subscription, talkEHR includes a one-time setup fee and itemized charges for certain premium or extra services, while core support and some essential security features are included.

Additional Costs and Fees:

• One-time Setup Fee: A non-refundable, one-time setup fee of $995.00 is required upon execution of the agreement.
• Monthly Subscription: The base fee is a monthly per-provider charge, such as $249.00/provider/month for the talkPro plan.
• Included Support and Maintenance: The monthly fee covers software access, maintenance, updates, and round-the-clock customer support (24/7).
• Electronic Prescribing: There is a one-time set-up charge of $75 per Provider for Rx Manager (electronic prescribing) and an additional one-time charge of $60 per Provider for EPCS (electronic prescribing for controlled substances).
• Data and Communication Fees: Additional fees apply for extra services like cloud-based faxing (5¢ per page received or sent plus a $10 one-time set-up fee for each new fax number) and additional storage (e.g., $25 per month for up to 10GB).

talkEHR offers comprehensive support and training options that include 24/7 customer service and various guided learning resources to ensure new users can quickly master the system's features and workflows.

Training and Support Options:

• Round-the-Clock Customer Support: 24/7 customer support is provided to assist with any operational or technical issues.
• Guided Setup and Data Import: New clients receive guided setup and data importation support from the vendor's team to ensure a smooth transition.
• Webinars and Tutorials: The vendor makes product tutorials and recorded webinars (e.g., "Getting Started with talkEHR") available as self-guided resources for learning.
• Dedicated Account Management: Higher-tier plans, like talkUltimate, may include a Dedicated Account Manager and 24/7 Billing Support.

The software is designed with a focus on compliance with strict US healthcare regulations, utilizing mandatory security practices and offering advanced authentication features to safeguard protected health information (PHI).

Data Security Measures:

• HIPAA Compliance: The company warrants that it uses its reasonable commercial efforts to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and provides a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to clients.
• Authentication & Access Control: It requires each individual user to have a unique user name and password (IDs). Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is available as an optional service at no additional cost to enhance login security.
• Data Confidentiality: All patient information and data provided by the client are kept confidential and not disclosed, except as necessary to perform the contracted services.
• Data Backup: The company maintains a back-up of the client's talkEHR data.

As a cloud-based Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, talkEHR is managed by the vendor, with automatic updates deployed regularly. A key focus for updates is maintaining compliance with evolving government healthcare standards.

Updates and Management:

• Cloud-Based Management: As a cloud-based solution, updates are typically deployed and managed by the vendor automatically, requiring minimal effort from the user's practice.
• Compliance and Certification: Updates are regularly released to maintain certifications, such as MACRA/MIPS readiness and compliance with ONC Certification Criteria for Health IT.
• Structured Testing: The company publishes Real World Testing Plans and results, which indicate a structured, ongoing cycle of developing, testing, and releasing certified features to the system.

talkEHR maintains a clear policy that the client practice retains full ownership of its patient data, and the data can be easily exported for portability.

Data Ownership and Portability Policy:

• Data Ownership: The client's practice always retains ownership of its data. The vendor operates under a license agreement that grants the client use of the software, not ownership of the data entered into it.
• Data Export Rights: Client data can be exported anytime upon request.
• Data Portability Format: During or following the agreement term, the client may generate CCDA (Consolidated-Clinical Document Architecture) format files, which contain critical patient demographic and claim information, for transfer to a new system.

talkEHR uses a subscription model that is inherently scalable, primarily tracking usage and costs based on the number of healthcare providers.

Terms for Scaling:

• Per-Provider Licensing: The system is licensed and priced per provider per month, making it simple to adjust costs and usage as the practice size changes.
• Scaling Up: The client may elect to upgrade their current plan (e.g., to add more providers or services) at any time by executing the appropriate agreement with the company.
• Scaling Down: Because the monthly fee is based on the number of providers, the cost will decrease as the count of licensed providers is reduced.

The contract typically has an initial one-year term and is set to automatically renew unless a written termination notice is delivered by either party well in advance of the expiration date.

Contract Terms:

• Initial Term and Automatic Renewal: The initial term is generally one (1) year. Upon expiration, the agreement automatically renews for an additional period of one (1) year (and for each renewal term thereafter).
• Cancellation/Non-Renewal Notice: To prevent automatic renewal, either party must deliver a written notice of termination at least ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the then-current term.
• Termination for Cause: Either party retains the right to terminate the agreement prior to the expiration of the term in the event of a material default by the other party, provided the breaching party fails to cure the default within thirty (30) days of receiving notice.

talkEHR is built to meet the rigorous regulatory and data privacy standards required for Electronic Health Records in the United States healthcare market.

Compliance Standards Met:

• ONC Certification Criteria for Health IT: The software is compliant with the ONC Certification Criteria for Health IT and has been certified by an ONC-Authorized Certification Body (ONC-ACB). This includes being MACRA/MIPS compliant - MU3 certified.
• HIPAA: The system warrants compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the key federal law protecting patient health information.
• Business Associate Agreement (BAA): A BAA is made available to clients, establishing the vendor's legal responsibilities for protecting client data under HIPAA.