Is your practice getting ready to make the switch to ICD-10 in October? While it may seem like forever away, it will be here in no time, and you need to start preparing your practice. And a big part of getting your practice ready is making sure that your EHR software is going to be ready to go. So, whether you're already using a system or looking to make a change, ICD-10 should be at the forefront of your conversations with software vendors.

The CMS website is a great resource for everything you need to know about ICD-10. That's where we found some of these questions, along with a few of our own. It's never too early to start the conversation. If your software isn't going to help you with the transition it's going to make things a lot harder for you and your staff. Maybe it's time for an upgrade!

15 Questions about ICD-10 You Should be Asking EHR Software Vendors

1. Is your EHR Software equipped for ICD-10?
   
   
2. Will you install what's necessary before the October 1, 2015 deadline so that I can begin testing? What does your timeline look like for these updates?
   
   
3. Will there be a cost associated with any software updates related to the switch to ICD-10?
   
   
4. Will I need new hardware to accomodate ICD-10 related software changes?
   
   
5. What are the costs associated with maintaining any new software?
   
   
6. Will there be any downtime for my system while updates are made?
   
   
7. Will there be new things I have to learn in the software interface?
   
   
8. Will you offer support? If so, for how long? Is it free?
   
   
9. How do I report issues and how quickly will you respond?
   
   
10. Will you provide training in your software?
    
    
11. Will you offer support during and after internal ICD-10 testing?
    
    
12. Does your product give me the ability to search for codes by the ICD-10 alphabetic and tabular indexes? By clinical concept?
    
    
13. Will your software help me with the transition by suggesting ICD-10 codes based on the clinical data I enter about specific patients?
    
    
14. Am I going to be able to use the same templates and content that I currently have or will I need to re-customize them all for the new ICD-10 compliant software?
    
    
15. Will both the practice management and EHR solution support ICD-10?
    
    

Want a full list of questions to ask your vendor? Download our essential list.