Jan 20, 2016, 12:31 by Sara Foster

Happy New Year! This is such a positive time of year! We are all hopeful about the possibilities that the New Year brings and insistent that this will be the year that our resolutions are kept. Reading more, eating healthier, volunteering, etc. - we frequently think of ways to make our lives happier, fuller and easier. The New Year also makes way for new goals in our professional world. One goal that we are hearing from many of you is to ensure that you are presenting your best brand image. In order to achieve this goal, you’re considering a change in your CMS and/or CRM, or perhaps the decision to make a change has already been made. Making the decision to change your CRM or CMS vendor can be overwhelming! But it is often the most pivotal and influential step in improving your brand image. Follow these simple steps to help you meet your 2016 goal: Secure the necessary resources.

• Show your senior leadership what your peers are accomplishing with a more advanced system.
• Explain how you will use the extra funds to increase patient satisfaction and therefore increase the bottom line.

Ensure that you have a thorough team to make the decision.

• Elicit help from IT, Marketing, end users, etc., to ensure that everyone has a hand in the selection. This helps ensure that you have the best suited vendor but also that you have the support of your whole organization.

Make a list of your “must-haves,” based on input from all affected departments in the organization.

Ensure that you are clear about what you want and need from your new system.

Test your potential vendors.

Bring them in for an onsite demo session to make sure you have all the necessary information before you make a decision.

Make the right decision. This is a big financial decision worth doing right the first time. If you are planning on changing CMS vendors and are considering a consultant to assist with the selection process, answer these questions to help you make the decision about engaging a consultant:

• Would it be helpful to have a project manager to handle all the selection details from start to finish?
• Do you need a standardized process for narrowing down vendors that will meet your organization’s technical capabilities and pricing needs?
• Do you desire a proven process for RFP development and evaluation, including score sheets for evaluating proposals and vendor demonstrations?

Make this a year you check a completed resolution off your list. For more information on the Vendor Selection Process, you can contact Farrah Hunt Thompson at fhunt@greystone.net or visit Greystone. Good luck on accomplishing your 2016 resolutions!