Implementation Leadership 2020
Which Firms Consistently Help Clients Hit the Ground Running?

Epic users have numerous implementation partners to choose from, the majority of which consistently deliver well. Cross-industry firms Accenture and Deloitte are engaged for some of the largest, most complex projects. Possessing both breadth and depth of expertise, both firms are praised for strategic guidance. However, project complexity can lead to inconsistent delivery, and clients of both firms report missed expectations. Some Accenture clients’ resources lacked needed experience or did not fit the clients’ culture. Some Deloitte clients feel the firm’s expertise leads to a lack of flexibility in accommodating unique needs; others report missed timelines. Both client bases view their firm as significantly more expensive than other options. Firms validated as more consistently satisfying clients with large, complex projects include Impact Advisors, Nordic, and Optimum Healthcare IT. With extensive implementation experience across multiple software vendors, Impact Advisors is viewed as following through on their promises and providing strong strategic guidance.

High-performing firms validated for supplying more supportive, lower-level leadership include CSI Healthcare IT, Galen Healthcare, HCTec, Oxford Global Resources, and Prominence.

 A broad firm with experience implementing multiple software vendors, Galen Healthcare provides high-quality resources able to resolve issues, share best practices, and speak to both technical and clinical aspects of an implementation. While clients view Galen as a partner, they note that the firm could provide more strategic guidance. Oxford Global Resources and Prominence typically provide consultants to augment a project’s management and leadership personnel, and both excel at exceeding expectations. Oxford Global Resources’ consultants are described as professional and as having the right skills for the job. A few clients even say Oxford came in and got another firm’s floundering project back on track. Prominence clients feel the firm does well at matching resources to client needs and describe the firm’s executives as involved and easy to connect with. Clients of Epic-focused Chartis Group view the firm as a strategic partner who exceeds expectations, brings a high level of experience and expertise, and keeps projects on track. While a couple of respondents describe the firm as expensive, they also note that Chartis Group is transparent about costs and doesn’t nickel-and-dime. With the highest number of validated Epic projects, Nordic also frequently exceeded expectations by being a strong, hands-on partner.

 In August 2020, Engage’s parent company—Tegria (formerly Providence Services Group)—announced plans to acquire Navin, Haffty & Associates (NHA) with the goal of offering a broad, comprehensive set of services for MEDITECH customers. Clients of both firms report high overall satisfaction and view their firm as having strong strategic and technical expertise, with one respondent noting, “Engage knows MEDITECH better than MEDITECH knows MEDITECH.” Both client bases highlight their consultants’ broad experience, which enables these resources to answer a wide range of questions and interact well with both IT and clinical personnel. Additionally, Engage clients praise their resources’ ability to keep projects on track and recover from speed bumps. NHA clients say their firm is able to handle large projects, provides consultants who fit well with clients’ organizations, and rarely has to switch out resources.

Huron, Santa Rosa Consulting, and Healthcare Triangle (limited data)—who were all validated mainly for MEDITECH and Epic implementations—do not consistently execute on their engagements. Just over 25% of Huron clients are dissatisfied overall. Issues reported by these clients include lack of engagement from Huron’s executives, poor follow-through on promises, and failure to resolve issues identified by the client. One client had to bring in another firm to finish their project, and multiple clients feel Huron nickel-and-dimed them. Satisfied Huron clients describe their consultants as responsive, honest, and communicative. Multiple Santa Rosa Consulting clients say their project was not properly scoped, leading to unexpected costs and feelings of being nickel-and-dimed. More-satisfied clients say the firm does a good job of following up on consultant performance. A couple of clients needed to change out resources who didn’t fit their needs, and they report that Santa Rosa did this quickly and seamlessly. Three of the four interviewed Healthcare Triangle (formerly Cornerstone Advisors) clients are highly satisfied with the firm, with one noting that their consultants had clinical experience and did an excellent job helping physicians learn the system. The fourth client reported a very poor experience (e.g., poor project management, lack of experience with the software), and multiple clients describe the firm as charging for every little thing.