Methodology
How we choose, verify and rank healthcare software. Scope at launch: US market, software products only.
What goes into a top 5
Every published task lists exactly five tools. Each must have a working official product site, a description we can match to the vendor’s own materials, and fit the task. If we can’t verify five, the task stays off the site until we can. We never pad a list. Right now 7 researched tasks are on hold for that reason, plus others not yet researched.
AI badge and coverage
The directory covers all software for each task, AI and non-AI. An AI badge marks tools we can show are AI products: either the product appears on the FDA AI-enabled device list, or the vendor’s own site describes it as AI or machine learning (we store that page). Tools are marked Non-AI only when the vendor’s product page is substantial and describes conventional software with no AI or ML. Everything else is AI status Unverified and gets no badge. We never infer AI from a product category. Use the All tools / AI only / Non-AI filter on lists, department pages, search and comparisons. Non-AI shows only tools confirmed as non-AI. If a filter leaves a top list with fewer than five tools, we show the ones that match and say how many. We never pad the list.
Verification tiers
- Verified: a primary registry record we link to. FDA status is verified only with a 510(k), De Novo or PMA number that links to the FDA database, and we use FDA’s wording: 510(k) “cleared”, De Novo “granted”, PMA “approved”.
- Vendor-stated: the claim appears on the vendor’s own site (we link the page). HIPAA is always vendor-stated, because the US Department of Health and Human Services does not certify products or vendors as HIPAA compliant. SOC 2 reports are usually under NDA, so we say “report not reviewed by us”.
- Unverified: we found no source. That isn’t a negative finding. Ask the vendor.
Sources
- FDA: AI-enabled medical device list and the 510(k)/De Novo databases.
- HIPAA, BAA, SOC 2, HITRUST, Epic integration: vendor pages, checked 2026-10-14. We record the exact page where the statement appears.
- EHR marketplaces (Epic Showroom, Oracle Health, athenahealth): we haven’t verified any listings yet, so marketplace status is Unverified unless the vendor states it.
- Pricing: vendor pricing pages, each linked with the date checked. If the vendor publishes prices we show the starting price as listed. If the vendor only offers a demo or quote, we show Contact sales with the page we checked. Otherwise pricing is Unverified.
How we rank
We pick five tools that fit the task, then order them by a published evidence score. Higher evidence ranks higher, in this order of importance:
- FDA record (cleared or granted, linked to the FDA database): 1,000 points. This counts only on lists where FDA applies, meaning at least one listed tool has an FDA record.
- Compliance claims with a source (HIPAA, BAA, SOC 2, HITRUST, Epic integration): 100 points each.
- Pricing: published price 20, Contact sales 10, Unverified 0.
- AI status backed by a source (AI or non-AI): 5 points.
The weights are chosen so a higher item always outweighs everything below it. When scores tie, our earlier editorial order of fit for the task decides. Each tool’s score is shown on its list and published in scores.json. Payment, fast-track review and affiliate links are never part of the score. We don’t summarize or score clinical efficacy, and we don’t copy proprietary ratings such as KLAS scores.
Freshness
Every fact carries a checked date. Facts older than 180 days are re-checked or downgraded to Unverified.
Corrections and vendor disputes
Vendors and readers can request a correction through the submission form. Include a public source URL. We aim to respond within 5 business days. Corrections are free and never tied to payment.
Privacy
No patient information (PHI) is collected. Search runs entirely in your browser and queries are never logged or sent anywhere. We count page views with GoatCounter, a privacy-friendly analytics service that sets no cookies and collects no personal data. Search queries are not sent.