Electronic medical record procurement strategy for Future Correctional Center

RFP in Healthcare Industry

Request for proposal in health care industry

Request for Proposal (RFP) in Healthcare Industry

In order to continually provide adequate Medicare to patients, a review of the electronic health record options reveal that the appropriate strategy is to procure Electronic Medical Record software. The primary objective of this RFP is to implore bids from system integrators or commercial off the shelf software merchants to devise, install, construct and implement integrated EMR software solution. The health care system, Future Correctional Center seeks to procure a software solution including licenses, hardware (as recommend by the bidder), execution, and maintenance and support services. In addition, the software configuration should present a core set of EMR attributes that meet particular requirements such as order entry, outcome review, nursing and physician documentation, registration.

Something significant to note; Future Correctional Center will not consider proposals from bidders offering software as a service solution, offer available software as an open source solution, or custom software established from scratch. The proposal should provide a detailed evaluation on the costs related to system acquisition of an EMR. Apart from that, the proposal should include mandatory EMR functionality modules for at least programs such as medical, mental health, nursing and medical administration. For instance, if a bidder's solution does not comprise fundamental EMR components for the suggested programs, the bidder's solution should at least integrate with another commercial software application.

In addition to the fundamental functionality, other significant suggestions of software solutions include laboratory information system and electronic unit health record. However, Future Correctional Center recognizes that some information offered in this RFP can have some inadequacy for bidders to submit a comprehensive solution and costing for an Electronic Medical Record. Therefore, Future Correctional Center proposes a multi-stage procurement for bidders to submit their best proposal based on software functionality, system integration expertise, experiences with other projects of this kind and costs incurred. This approach will assist in implementation of the EMR in a way that modifies proposal services; alter timelines for design, installation and configuration of EMR functionality.

Background

In the year 2001, the Future Correctional Center faced a court action, which brought a lawsuit against the Correctional facility over the eminence of Medicare in the correctional facility. The prison violated an Amendment, which prohibits bizarre punishment of the incarcerated. This resulted to placement of the Correctional center into Receivership. The situation aimed at creating a collaborative environment where imprisonment and health care practitioners improve the standards of medical services in the correctional facilities. Therefore, the Receiver adopted objectives significant for the Future Correctional Center health care system. The objectives aimed to: 1) ensure timely access to medical services; 2) develop a correctional center medical system that will address in full health care services; 3) recruit and train an able medical workforce; 4) establish medical support infrastructure, and 6) offer required nursing, administrative and housing facilities.

Problem

The patient-inmate population in the Future Correctional Center is complex and resembles a socio-economically challenged civilian population at risk of substance abuse, mental illness and chronic diseases. In addition, the medical status of the patient-inmate is that of chronologically older patients. Into the bargain, trauma is common, illicit drug use, hepatitis, HIV / AIDS and several other communicable diseases are in high prevalence. For these reasons, Future Correctional Center proposed to enhance pharmacy structures by acquiring a software that will combine patient-inmate information into an integrated appliance. Future Correctional Center plans to accomplish the following goals by acquiring an EMR:

Reduce flaws and unnecessary tests and medications;

Improve patient care and efficient operations;

Improve management of chronic care conditions and transfer of information within the healthcare systems; and Comply with federal health standards.

In addition, implementing an EMR software solution in the Correctional center healthcare system, will efficiently deliver medically competent patient inmate care. The proposed EMR's should leverage the bidder's software to supply an EMR that generates a full perception of patient-inmate information, highly used by health practitioners, and automated clinical systems.

Minimum System Requirements

The selected system should easily integrate with the existing systems. Therefore, it should have the capability to interface with the centre's current health applications and have the ability to send data and records whenever required. In addition, the system should have the capability to push data and patient care record in community care document. On the other hand, the system should allow for pull of data and records into reporting and evaluation systems. The center requires a system that complies with HIPAA. The system should comply with security breach notifications imposed by the HIPAA security standards. Therefore, the vendor or bidder will have to execute the applicable business associate agreement.

Into the bargain, the correctional center will require licensed software. Therefore, the software license and license description should appear on the service contract. In addition, the software must include the business purpose described by the center. Additionally, Future Correctional Center will require the system's warranty, which the vendor should include in the service contract. Into the bargain, the centre will also require the contract language

. Therefore, the chosen bidder or vendor must comply with the federal requirements. In addition, the center requires the vendor to attach the language provided in the service contract.

Current Future Correctional Centre IT Infrastructure

The center currently uses IBM AIX using Oracle and Microsoft technologies. The center presently supports the technologies through their Information Technology Services department. In addition, the center requests that the vendors proposed EMR solution describes how they either will utilize the infrastructure or illustrates how modification to suit the solution will take place. However, for an alternate infrastructure hosting proposals, the vendor's proposal should include all the additional costs if any that they will require.

Current Future Correctional Centre Clinical Applications

Most of the systems are custom-built using Microsoft technologies such as NET, Access, SharePoint and CRM. In addition, they run on Microsoft Windows and SQL servers. In addition, Future Correctional Center Information Technology Department maintains and offers IT support to these systems. Into the bargain, the health care IT platform consists of automated systems for medical, mental, dental, pharmaceutical, laboratory, radiology, nursing, health and registration records.

System's Service Required

The system must have the capability to provide the following 1) electronic medical record system should hold the inmate patient conditions results from the care provided; 2) it should have the ability to identify uniqueness in every patient; 3) it should have the ability to improve clinical care in and allow for evaluation in healthcare practice; 4) the system should have a web connected, and 5) the system should provide patient care record and future information on the patient's health.

Proposal Format

Future Correctional Center requires the vendors or bidders to submit (1) master copy proposal, (5) copies of the proposal and (1) compact disk that has all the proposal files. In addition, all proposals that reach the center before the deadline might qualify for award. However, the correctional center will deem proposals that reach the center after the deadline, non-responsive. Future Correctional Center is not accountable for any proposal that fails to reach the center. In addition, the bidder's proposal should comply with the following format requirements. Bidders should follow them strictly, because the center may deem proposals that fail to meet the format requirements as non-responsive.

1. All the soft copy files should either be in MS Word (Word, excel, project, PowerPoint), version 2003-2007 or PDF. The proposal text should have at least 12 points and 8 points for presentation of information in figures and tables.

2. Vendors should provide printable information on pages on standard 8.5" x 14" format. However, the center prefers single sided pages.

3. The pages should follow a sequence in numbering excluding the project schedule. The page numbers must appear in the same page in the bidder's proposal. The vendor should assign index numbers to figures, tables, charts and diagrams, which should reference the numbers in the proposal.

4. Vendors should put their business names in the header or footer of every page.

5. The proposal shall label exhibits such as tables, graphs and graphics.

6. Eligibility of the proposal is a significant requirement

7. Submission of the proposal should follow the specified timeline.

Proposal Requirements

The RFP course of action and information within the proposal are the property of Future Correctional Center and the reactions to the RFP become the property of the issuing organization. Therefore, the State has mandated to use any or the provided information contained in the replies unless the bidder or vendor designates the information as proprietary. Every reply containing proprietary information should have a mark "PROPRIETARY" and the hospital will not release information here within. In addition, the correctional center will choose finalists to illustrate their product and develop a customer visit for the vendor that offers the chosen demonstration. The centre invites vendors who will supply it with an EMR system. However, although the center aims to get a complete health information system, it may decide to uphold its present ancillary systems.

1) Future Correctional Center expects vendors to provide interfaces from their systems to incorporate them into their present system applications.

2) Although the centre seeks to obtain a system through a single vendor, the center may select part or a vendor's entire proposal.

Timeline

The following table shows the timeline for this procurement:

Task

Oct / 13

Nov / 13

Dec/13

Jan / 14

Issue RFP

4

The center will conduct a bidder's teleconference.

18

The centre will receive the letters of purpose (not a must but welcomed). The centre will accept email confirmations.

25

The center will receive and react to questions from vendors.

1

The centre will supply answers to the vendor's questions.

5

Deadline for proposal reception (16:00 hrs)

19

Complete proposal assessments.

26

The centre will conduct illustrations.

8

The center will conduct reference checks.

7

The center will conduct site visits.

14

The center will choose the successful vendor subject to contract agreements.

21

The center will start vendor contract negotiations.

21

Background Information

In order to facilitate the evaluations of responses to this RFP, Future Correctional Center requests the vendors to prepare their proposals and offer the necessary information in accordance with the following requirements:

The vendor should offer s description of their companies

The vendors should offer an organization chart and profile of the proposed team experts including the senior personnel responsible for the center's project

The vendor should include a decision-making model of the command to use during the implementation process and post-project progressing support

The vendor should include a background of experience in handling similar projects

The vendor should list his or her past clients associated with projects of the same type

The vendor should describe the strategy to use in carrying out the project and highlight practices used in other projects

The vendor should include research or lessons learnt that favor his or her recommended approach

The vendor should illustrate any unique methods that may contribute to the success of the project

The vendor should offer the management procedures to use in the project

The vendor should also offer any perceived risks and risk reactions for the project

Corporate Due Diligence

Future Correctional Center created this section in order to identify the common requirements of a viable vendor. The hospital requests the vendors to provide the required information in the outlined format:

Task

Vendor Response

The legal name of the responding organization

The address of the responsible organization in completing the project

The ownership of the organization -- public / private

A definition of the organization's legal structure (e.g., corporation, partnership)

The year of founding the organization

The length of time the organization has operated providing the proposed product

The number of employees the organization has set aside to work on the proposed project

The exact location of the company

The customer service policy

The user training methods and policy

The quality control or audit of the product proposed

Vendor or Bidder Selection

The choosing of the successful vendor or bidder will entirely depend on the quality and price variables. Therefore, the selection process will consider the response to the solicitation, cost, warranties, responsibility, and accomplishment of service and deadline of delivery. In addition, the contract will require software that will integrate with the existing systems. In any extent, the products and services should qualify in the metric system of measurement. In addition, the products and services should have the capability to protect the environment and save energy.

Submissions

Future Correctional Center requires a minimum of two bound copies; in addition, the center will require an electronic copy on a compact disc (CD) or digital videodisc (DVD) of the proposal. In addition, the proposal should reach the center before 16:00 hours on November 19, 2013. On reception, the center's secretary will stamp the proposals according to the timeline upon a receipt. The cost quotations for hardware, software, adjustments, conversion, and maintenance of both software and hardware should correspond to the U.S. Dollars.

In addition, the software configuration and all the required information should have a comprehensive summary; the center prefers the details in table form. However, all other options beyond the stated project should have separate information on the items and costs. Therefore, requires vendors will complete as many answers in the requirement tables and offer supporting narrative for any yes or no answers. For instance, if a question does not apply or you cannot answer it, please offer the reasons. In addition, the center will accept a separate feedback document as long as it refers comprehensively to the table sections within this RFP.

Pricing

The total cost of the proposed EMR software is an important factor n determining the appropriate offerings that will satisfy the needs of the correctional center. Therefore, the center requires every vendor or bidder to supply a complete estimation of the costs for the proposed EMR software solution. The center requests that for every hypothetical practice, the vendor should provide a cost estimate. The estimate should not exceed two pages each. In addition, for each estimate, the vendor will have to itemize the solution practiced. Therefore, this will require a description of the item based on price, and how the price will varies by the size of the practice. If the vendor fails to provide the required products, the vendor will have to identify the items and offer reasonable price estimation based on their experience in similar projects. In addition, if the estimate considers existing resources such as internet connection, this should appear clearly. A copy of the license is inclusive, and vendors should attach.

For instance, the vendor should recommend a price for the necessary software to establish a local area connection over which will aid communication with the server. In addition, the vendor will provide pricing for the administrative staff at the workstations, including the minimum and appropriate configurations, operating system and versions. The vendor will also suggest pricing for other accessories such as printers, scanners that will facilitate proper working of the EMR software. The center requires the vendor to suggest pricing for the EMR software including all modules significant to achieve EMR functionality described in other parts of this proposal. Other pricing will consider third party software, implementation, interfaces, data conversion and product maintenance and support.