Top 10 questions to ask when evaluating digital health vendors

What is the vendor's competitive landscape?

It's important to understand a vendor's competitive landscape to see how they stack up against other options in the market.  AVIA Marketplace’s "Market Map" feature provides a bird's eye view of the digital health landscape, and lets you see how vendors compare to one another.

What are the vendor's core offerings?

What the vendor's core offering is will determine if they're a good fit for your organization. Make sure to ask for a demo or see a product in action to get a better understanding of what the vendor offers. In AVIA Marketplace you can easily use the "Contact" option to request information from a vendor and get quick answers in your inbox.

What are the vendor's areas of expertise?

Vendors typically have areas of expertise, or a specific way of approaching the problem. It's important to understand a vendor's areas of focus and key differentiators to see if they're a good match for your needs - and if they will allow you to scale in the future.  AVIA Marketplace’s "Filter" option allows you to easily narrow down your vendor search by their approach - plus additional things such as EMRS they work with or the client types they have experience with.

Does the vendor have any references or case studies?

A vendor's references and case studies can give you valuable insights into their work and whether or not they're a good fit for your organization.  AVIA Marketplace’s “Clients” feature allows you to see if they have experience with organizations like you and the "Reviews" feature lets you see ratings and reviews from other health system members - and get real-world insight into successful implementations.

What is the vendor's approach to DEI issues?

What are the vendor's policies and procedures regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion? Does the vendor have a DEI committee or task force? What are the vendor's goals around DEI? How does the vendor plan to measure progress on DEI issues? AVIA Marketplace’s "DEI Practices" capability provides insight into how companies approach these issues to ensure you are making strides in health equity for your community.

What are the vendor's technical capabilities?

Data security and privacy are of the utmost importance when it comes to health data. Make sure to ask about a vendor's policies and procedures around data security and privacy to ensure that your organization's data will be safe. In addition, understanding implications for your IT team - EHR integrations, devices, etc. is critical when setting up successful implementations. AVIA Marketplace’s "EHR Integrations" features provides a space for vendors to share how they handle technical challenges with health system buyer’s looking to understand the vendor’s technical depth.

What are the vendor's financial stability and funding status?

You want to make sure that the vendor you select is financially stable and will be around for the long haul.  AVIA Marketplace’s "Vendor Profile" feature provides information on a vendor's funding status. Full in depth financial analysis should be done by each buyer before contracting.

What is the vendor's business model?

A vendor's business model will give you insights into how they make money and how that might impact their relationship with you as a customer. AVIA Marketplace’s "Vendor Profile" feature provides information on a vendor's business model.

What are the vendor's long-term goals?

It's important to understand a vendor's long-term goals to see if they're aligned with your organization's goals.  AVIA Marketplace’s "Differentiators" feature provides information on a vendor's long-term goals and how they differentiate in the market - versus internal options and other 3rd party vendors.

What do others at my organization think about this vendor?

Internal alignment is vital for any digital health initiative to be successful. As such, it is important to ensure that the vendor you are considering is one that others in your organization are comfortable with and have a good relationship with. Furthermore, it is important to gauge whether or not the vendor is responsive to feedback and open to collaboration. AVIA Marketplace’s "Share" and “Download” features allow you to easily create snapshots of individual profiles or comparisons to help others get on the same page quickly.

When it comes to digital health, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one organization might not work for another. The key is to find the right vendor for your specific needs. By asking the right questions, you can make sure you find a vendor that's a good fit for your organization. AVIA Marketplace can help by providing insights and resources that may be more difficult to gather on your own.