Correctional EHR RFP checklist

A well-structured request for proposals (RFP) makes vendor responses easier to compare and protects your facility from surprises after contract award. Use this checklist to make sure your requirements cover the full scope of a correctional EHR — from intake screening to reentry, and from security to implementation.

Tick items as you add them to your RFP. Your selections stay on this page while it's open; use the print button to save a copy as PDF or paper.

The checklist

Clinical workflows

• Intake screening with alerts for urgent medical, mental health and withdrawal risks
• Scheduled health assessments with due-date tracking
• Sick call request, triage and follow-up queue
• Chronic care plans, registries and recurring follow-up
• Medical, behavioral health and dental documentation in one chart
• Transfer summaries and release-triggered discharge planning

Pharmacy & medication

• Electronic orders with pharmacy verification
• Institutional dispensing and inventory control
• eMAR for documenting each dose at the point of administration
• Controlled-substance tracking
• DSCSA traceability for applicable pharmacy operations

Integrations & interoperability

• Jail management system (bookings, housing, transfers, releases)
• Laboratory orders and results
• Immunization registry reporting
• Health information exchange for reentry and continuity of care
• Support for HL7, FHIR and NCPDP standards

Compliance & security

• ONC certification (2015 Edition Cures Update)
• HIPAA privacy and security safeguards
• 42 CFR Part 2 segmentation, consent and disclosure tracking
• Independent security attestation (for example, SOC 2)
• Hosting suitable for government data (for example, Azure Government)
• Role-based access and complete audit trails; CJIS-aware controls where applicable

Reporting & revenue

• Operational and clinical reports for contract monitoring and accreditation
• Timeliness reporting for screening, assessment and sick call
• Claim scrubbing, billing and reporting where services are reimbursable

Implementation & support

• Named project lead and documented implementation plan (PMP-led methodology)
• Realistic timeline for your size and integrations (typically 6–18 months)
• Role-based staff training, including an online learning platform
• Data migration plan from current systems
• Post-go-live support model and escalation path
• Vendor experience in your setting (corrections, juvenile justice, institutional pharmacy)

Tips for a stronger RFP

• Write demo scripts. Ask every vendor to walk through the same scenarios — an intake with a withdrawal risk, a sick call request, a med pass, a transfer and a release.
• Ask for specifics on integrations. Name your jail management system, lab and pharmacy partners and HIE, and ask who builds and maintains each interface.
• Separate native from third-party. Ask which modules the vendor builds and supports directly.
• Score implementation, not just features. The rollout plan, training and post-go-live support often determine success more than any single feature.

For background on what these systems do, read What is correctional healthcare software?