8 signs it's time to fire a vendor

No practice wants to switch vendors. Changing your billing company, an electronic health record, clearinghouse or information technology provider can mean migration headaches, retraining and things getting worse before they get better. So practices put up with a lot, often for years, while an underperforming vendor quietly costs them money.

The trick is separating a bad week from a bad partner. The signs that actually justify a change are measurable, not matters of taste, and most show up in numbers you already track. The old advice on choosing a vendor compares it to choosing a life partner rather than a dream date, built on long-term compatibility instead of first impressions. When that compatibility breaks down, the data usually shows it before you are ready to admit it.

Here are eight signs, across billing, technology and support, that it is time to move on.