A shortlist tells a clinic who received a demonstration. A decision record explains why one option was selected, which risks remain and who accepted them. Without that record, the loudest feature, the most polished presenter or an old vendor preference can become the selection method.
Begin with the work that must improve
Map a small number of high-friction workflows before building requirements. Examples include intake, result follow-up, prescription renewal, internal tasks, billing reconciliation and referral closure. Record the roles, handoffs, duplicate entry, delays and exceptions. A requirement should connect to a real step, not a generic wish list.
Separate four kinds of evidence
- Official status: the named product, version and applicable Quebec source.
- Provider statement: what the vendor says the product or service can do.
- Clinic test: what your team observed in a scenario using the proposed configuration.
- Contract commitment: what the supplier is obligated to deliver, support, protect and return.
A logo, certification statement or successful demonstration cannot substitute for the other layers.
Use scenarios that expose the handoffs
Ask each vendor to complete the same bilingual scenarios using realistic roles and exceptions. Test the step before the EMR, the work inside it and what happens afterward. Capture screenshots or notes only in an approved environment without patient information.
Keep a visible decision table
For every requirement, record the owner, evidence source, result, open condition and due date. Distinguish must-have, important and optional. Add migration, permissions, interfaces, reporting, downtime, training, support, data export and contract exit. Score only after the evidence is attached.
Record the final tradeoffs
No system removes every compromise. The final record should state what the clinic gains, what it gives up, which workarounds are temporary, what must be resolved before go-live and who approved the residual risk. This becomes the foundation for implementation and later optimization.
Review the Quebec EMR comparison guide and the anonymized EMR case study. Teché’s EMR consulting work starts with the clinic’s workflow and decision evidence.
Official sources reviewed
- Quebec health-technology certification office
- Active certified products table
- Quebec DMÉ supplier information
Evidence reviewed: August 28, 2026. Always verify the live official source and proposed version before contracting.
