Every EHR vendor claims to offer 24/7 support. The phrase appears in almost every proposal, pricing sheet, and demo. It means very different things depending on the vendor.
For rounding physicians, support quality matters more than it does for most clinical settings. Here is why, and what to look for.
Why Support Is More Critical for Rounding Practices
A physician in a clinic who has a technical problem during the day can step away, call support, and wait for help. Appointments are delayed but the patient is there.
A rounding physician who has a technical problem between facilities at 6pm has a different situation. Notes cannot be completed. Charges may be delayed. The provider has already seen the patients and cannot easily re-access them for documentation if the system is down.
The support need in a rounding workflow is time-sensitive in a way that clinic workflows are not. When something goes wrong at 7pm or on a weekend, waiting until Monday morning is not an operational option.
What "24/7 Support" Actually Looks Like Across Vendors
Tier 1 - Email or ticket submission only. Some vendors label this 24/7 because the ticket portal is always open. Response times range from same-day to 48 hours. This is not adequate for a rounding practice with time-sensitive documentation.
Tier 2 - After-hours phone for critical issues. Some vendors offer a phone line for issues that meet their definition of "critical" - typically system outages affecting multiple users. Individual provider problems may not qualify.
Tier 3 - Phone support with rapid response for all issues, all hours. This is what the term should mean. A real person answers, understands the product, and can resolve problems - not just log them for resolution the next business day.
What to Ask Before You Sign
What is the average response time for a support call at 9pm on a Thursday?
Is phone support available for all users or only designated contacts?
What qualifies as a "critical issue" for after-hours escalation?
Can I talk to someone who has used the product in a clinical setting, not just in a call center?
These questions reveal quickly whether a vendor's support model is designed for their workflow or for yours.
What Good Looks Like
A rounding practice should have direct phone access to a support team that knows the product and knows the LTPAC setting. Response time should be measured in minutes, not hours. The person who answers should be able to resolve the issue - not escalate it to a tier that is unavailable on evenings and weekends.
EasyRounds' support team is available by phone 24/7 with an average response time under one hour. The team knows ChartPath and knows post-acute care. If a provider calls at 7pm between facilities because they cannot access a patient record, someone picks up.
If you are currently evaluating EHRs and support quality matters to your practice, ask your vendors the questions above. The answers will tell you a lot.
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