Choosing a Vendor

Abstract

The advent of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) allowed storage and distribution of digital images and patient information throughout the healthcare enterprise. PACS enables easy availability of digital images on virtually all clinical workstations throughout the healthcare institution, which helps to improve the workflow, report turn-around time, productivity, and clinical care. A careful selection of the type of PACS solution based on the institution’s demands, workflow, and infrastructure is vital. Finding a suitable vendor that can satisfy these requirements is equally important.

Self-Assessment Questions

• 1. What is the first step in selection of a vendor?

  • a. Developing a strategic business plan

  • b. Writing an RFP

  • c. Negotiating the contract

  • d. Site visits

  • e. Deciding payment options

• 2. How many vendors should be selected by the PACS team to send out the RFPs?

  • a. 1–3

  • b. 2–4

  • c. 4–6

  • d. 8–10

  • e. 10–15

• 3. Who is not a stakeholder for PACS implementation?

  • a. Radiologists

  • b. Technologists

  • c. Clinicians

  • d. Nurses

  • e. IT staff

• 4. For an enterprise-level PACS, generally clinicians are a part of the site visit team

  • a. Always true – clinicians must always attend visits.

  • b. True to certain extent – experts in different divisions may attend or limited to Chief Medical in-charge Officer as the number of persons visiting sites is limited.

  • c. False – consultants replace the clinicians in all visits as the number of people visiting sites is limited.

  • d. False to certain extent – clinicians’ demands are minimal when compared to radiologists.

  • e. Vendor decides if clinicians must attend or not.

• 5. What is not true about site visits?

  • a. Location is always decided by the vendor

  • b. The review team can include radiologists and clinicians

  • c. One or more site visits should be made

  • d. Different visits should be close to each other

  • e. A specific site visit agenda should be established

• 6. What is the correct order for the following steps?

  • 1. The responses to the RFP should be summarized and tabulated for evaluation.

  • 2. The RFP should be sent out to the vendors giving them a firm response date.

  • 3. Each vendor should be scored for each criterion and these scores weighted based on the importance of the category being analyzed.

  • 4. The PACS selection team should short list 4–6 vendors selecting those who appear to be most suitable for their requirements.

    • a. 4, 2, 1, 3

    • b. 1, 2, 3, 4

    • c. 2, 1, 3, 4

    • d. 2, 4, 1, 3

    • e. 2, 3, 1, 4

• 7. How much time should be given to the vendors to respond to the RFP?

  • a. Less than 16 weeks

  • b. Less than 8 weeks

  • c. Less than 2 weeks

  • d. They can take as much time, as long as they address all the questions in the RFP

  • e. Less than 4 weeks