[01]
Functional: modules & integrations
Coverage of clinical-financial modules, plus the mandatory integrations (BPJS VClaim/Antrean, SATUSEHAT FHIR R4, E-Klaim). Make sure the integrations actually run, not merely that they are "available".
[Guide] Choosing an HMS Vendor
How to choose an HMS vendor.
A complete checklist — including the criteria often overlooked, like data export rights, ownership, and cost transparency — so you can choose with a clear head, whatever vendor you pick.
Common mistake
A pretty demo and the lowest price are not the deciding factors.
Many hospitals pick an HMS from its demo or the lowest upfront price, then regret it when they discover hidden costs, integrations that turn out not to be running yet, or data that cannot be taken out. What determines long-term cost and risk is precisely the foundation that is invisible in a demo.
This guide gives you a complete set of criteria — including the ones rarely asked about — plus a list of questions you can put directly to a prospective vendor.
6 criteria
What's visible, and what's often overlooked.
The three criteria marked often overlooked are the ones that most determine lock-in — and are asked about the least.
[02]
often overlooked Often overlooked: data export & ownership rights
Can the hospital export all of its data (CSV, FHIR R4, SQL) at any time without special permission? This decides whether you are locked into a vendor — the criterion most often left unasked.
[03]
Security & UU 27/2022 (PDP) compliance
Concrete controls: audit trails, encryption, access control. And honesty about what is fully in place vs. still being developed — not a "100% secure" claim.
[04]
often overlooked Often overlooked: on-prem vs. cloud deployment
Is the hospital free to choose its own server (on-premise) or a cloud of its choice? Dependence on a single vendor infrastructure is another form of lock-in.
[05]
EMR compliance (Permenkes 24/2022)
Can the vendor transparently map its readiness against the EMR criteria, including what it has not yet met? Transparency is worth more than a claim of perfection.
[06]
often overlooked Often overlooked: cost transparency & engagement model
What is included in the license vs. added costs (integration, migration, training, maintenance)? Ideally every cost component is explained up front, not after the contract.
Must-ask questions
Put these to every prospective vendor.
The fastest way to filter vendors: watch which ones answer honestly — including admitting what they have not yet met.
- Can we export all data (including medical records) to standard formats, at any time, without special fees?
- Your SATUSEHAT & BPJS integrations: are they already running and sending data, or merely "ready"? What is required on our side?
- Which Permenkes 24/2022 (the electronic medical records regulation) criteria are already fully met, and which are not?
- Which security controls are active (audit trail, encryption, MFA, RBAC)? Which are still being developed?
- Can we deploy on our own server (on-premise)? Who holds control of the infrastructure?
- Break down the cost components: what is included, what is extra, and how does the support model work?
- Who handles the implementation — the people who built the system, or a different team?
FAQ
Questions about choosing an HMS vendor.
Choosing based on a pretty demo or the lowest price, without checking the invisible foundations: data export rights, ownership, provable security, and whether the integrations actually send data. It is these foundations that determine long-term cost and risk.
Because medical record data is the hospital’s asset, not the vendor’s. If you cannot export it whenever you need to (CSV, FHIR R4, SQL), you are locked in — switching vendors becomes expensive and risky. A confident vendor actually gives you the right to leave.
It depends on your needs. A large vendor offers scale; a small or focused vendor offers attention and closeness to the developers. What matters is not size, but compliance transparency, the right to take your data out, and who actually handles your hospital.
We deliberately built a checklist bold enough to include the criteria that favor hospitals (export rights, transparency, on-prem) — because we pass them naturally. We are also honest about our status: pre-revenue, seeking 1-2 founding partner hospitals, with some compliance controls still being matured. This checklist exists to help you choose with a clear head, whatever vendor you pick.