BOSTON – TransforMED, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians, is partnering with medical diagnostic equipment provider Welch Allyn to help medical practices choose an electronic health record vendor.

The companies have formed EHR Preparation and Selection Services, a consulting program that offers medical practices three paths for choosing an EHR – EHR Prep-Select, EHR Prep-Select "Plus" and EHR Prep-Select "Premier."

"EHR selection and implementation are fundamental steps toward becoming a patient-centered medical home," said Terry McGeeney, MD, president and CEO of TransforMED, which is based in Leawood, Kan. "We at TransforMED are pleased to collaborate with Welch Allyn on a product that will ease the frustration and uncertainty associated with selecting and successfully implementing this technology."

EHR Prep-Select is a 10-step project that is further broken down into nearly 40 individual assignments. The program includes four hours of consulting with an experienced industry expert and provides access to a Web portal that contains electronic worksheets, templates, surveys and tables designed to streamline the process of capturing, analyzing and disseminating EHR project data between internal staff and EHR vendors.

EHR Prep-Select "Plus" provides additional consulting time to help supplement the internal resources required to complete a full EHR selection project, and the Prep-Select "Premier" offers consulting from start to finish.

"The key to successful EHR selection is preparation, yet most medical practices have neither the time nor resources to properly prepare," said Jay Mangicaro, senior category manager of integrated partners at Welch Allyn, headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y. "Our new EHR Preparation and Selection Services program offers an optimal mix of expert consulting, an easy-to-follow project plan and an intuitive online tool that addresses the challenges associated with selecting an EHR vendor."