Choosing an HMS
Questions to ask any HMS vendor.
A hospital system is a long-term decision. These are the questions we would ask in your place, with Carexa's own answers. Put the same questions to every vendor on your shortlist.
Shortlist checklist
Carexa's answers
- Can we see the price before a sales call?Published
- Where is patient data hosted?India only
- Is ABHA built in, or a project?Built in
- Is FHIR R4 the core format?Yes
- Does it run when the internet drops?Offline desk
- Can we take our data with us?FHIR export
Two approaches
- Carexa
- Published plans, go-live in days
- Typical enterprise EHR
- Quoted per project, multi-year roll-outs
Carexa's answers come from our published plans. See how to use this list.
The checklist
Twelve questions that matter to an Indian hospital.
Carexa's answers describe our own product and published plans. The right-hand column is what we suggest you check with every vendor, including us.
| Question |  Carexa's answer |
What to check with any vendor |
|---|---|---|
| What will it cost over five years? | Published per-bed and per-clinic pricing. Migration, training and updates are included. | Ask for a full quote: licences, implementation, hardware, support and upgrades. |
| How long until the first patient? | A 7-day go-live is part of every published plan. | Ask for a dated plan and who does the work. Multi-year implementations are common for enterprise EHRs. |
| Is FHIR R4 native? | Yes. FHIR R4 is the wire format of the Carexa API. | Ask whether FHIR is the core data model or a layer added on top. |
| Is ABDM built in? | Built for ABDM: ABHA creation and verification, Scan & Share and consent-based record sharing. | Ask for a live demo of ABHA creation and a consent request. |
| Where is patient data hosted? | In India only, with tenant isolation and encrypted backups. | Ask for the hosting locations and sub-processors in writing. |
| Is there an open API? | REST and FHIR APIs, documented for your own developers. | Ask whether API access is a paid add-on. |
| GST and e-invoicing? | Built in: HSN/SAC codes, CGST/SGST/IGST split and B2B e-invoicing. | Ask to see a GST invoice and a credit note produced by the system. |
| PMJAY and TPA claims? | Pre-auth, claim filing and status tracking for PMJAY, ESIC, CGHS, ECHS and private TPAs. | Ask which schemes work today, not which are on the roadmap. |
| Indian languages? | 7 Indian languages plus English, on screens and printouts. | Ask which screens and printouts are actually translated. |
| What if the internet goes down? | The desktop client keeps reception, OPD and billing running, then syncs. | Ask to see the system working with the network unplugged. |
| Does it fit our size? | Plans run from single-doctor clinics to multi-hospital groups. | Ask whether the pricing model suits your bed count and growth. |
| Can we leave with our data? | Yes. Your data is exported as FHIR Bundles and a database dump. | Ask for the export format and any exit fees in the contract. |
What will it cost over five years?
- Carexa's answer
- Published per-bed and per-clinic pricing. Migration, training and updates are included.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask for a full quote: licences, implementation, hardware, support and upgrades.
How long until the first patient?
- Carexa's answer
- A 7-day go-live is part of every published plan.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask for a dated plan and who does the work. Multi-year implementations are common for enterprise EHRs.
Is FHIR R4 native?
- Carexa's answer
- Yes. FHIR R4 is the wire format of the Carexa API.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask whether FHIR is the core data model or a layer added on top.
Is ABDM built in?
- Carexa's answer
- Built for ABDM: ABHA creation and verification, Scan & Share and consent-based record sharing.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask for a live demo of ABHA creation and a consent request.
Where is patient data hosted?
- Carexa's answer
- In India only, with tenant isolation and encrypted backups.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask for the hosting locations and sub-processors in writing.
Is there an open API?
- Carexa's answer
- REST and FHIR APIs, documented for your own developers.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask whether API access is a paid add-on.
GST and e-invoicing?
- Carexa's answer
- Built in: HSN/SAC codes, CGST/SGST/IGST split and B2B e-invoicing.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask to see a GST invoice and a credit note produced by the system.
PMJAY and TPA claims?
- Carexa's answer
- Pre-auth, claim filing and status tracking for PMJAY, ESIC, CGHS, ECHS and private TPAs.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask which schemes work today, not which are on the roadmap.
Indian languages?
- Carexa's answer
- 7 Indian languages plus English, on screens and printouts.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask which screens and printouts are actually translated.
What if the internet goes down?
- Carexa's answer
- The desktop client keeps reception, OPD and billing running, then syncs.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask to see the system working with the network unplugged.
Does it fit our size?
- Carexa's answer
- Plans run from single-doctor clinics to multi-hospital groups.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask whether the pricing model suits your bed count and growth.
Can we leave with our data?
- Carexa's answer
- Yes. Your data is exported as FHIR Bundles and a database dump.
- What to check with any vendor
- Ask for the export format and any exit fees in the contract.
Method
How to use this list
Get answers in writing
Send the same questions to every vendor on your shortlist. Ask for written answers, and make sure the ones that matter end up in the contract.
See Carexa's published pricingSee it working
Ask each vendor to show the answer in a live system, on your own workflows, not on slides. We are happy to be held to the same test.
Book a demoSee it on your workflows. Then compare.
Get on a 30-minute call. We'll show Carexa running on your specialty's actual workflows. Then compare honestly.
