Epic at OMHS
Epic is an electronic medical record system (EMR) that will help transform healthcare delivery in our region. Designed for both inpatient and outpatient use, Epic provides healthcare providers with a secure, central location to exchange healthcare information electronically. OMHS activated Epic on March 1, 2012.
What is an EMR
An Electronic Medical Record (EMR), is a computerized system for collecting and storing patient medical records. EMRs enable healthcare providers to exchange protected health information through a secure connection instead of using paper files. Electonic systems streamline the gathering of medical history, medication and insurance information for sharing across the hospital and with other healthcare providers.
A well-designed EMR can speed the delivery of care and improve clinical outcomes by reducing duplication of services and risk for error. It can also improve care for patients during hospital stays.
OMHS chose Epic, a leader in the healthcare IT industry, to build an Electronic Medical Record for the hospital and other area healthcare providers. The hospital went live with Epic on March 1, 2012.
Who is Epic
Founded in 1979, Epic is widely recognized as an industry leader in implementing healthcare IT systems. Nearly one-third of US physicians use or will soon implement Epic, accounting for over 80 million patient charts. The decision to choose Epic was a year-long process that involved much research and physician input. The project officially launched in September 2010.
OMHS will have access to all of Epic’s software applications for use in patient care settings and insurance filing. Epic software is fully integrated across the continuum of care, which means a single patient record is used wherever service is provided--from clinical services to billing.
The Epic system will allow patients to become more involved in their own care by having immediate, direct access to many aspects of their medical records through Epic’s MyChart online component. Meanwhile, the Epic OneChart feature gives affiliates and community providers secure access to patient information and referral management functions.
About the Project
OMHS dedicated 70 employees toward the project, replacing core clinical systems and processes with Epic’s model system implementation methodology—based on best practices of more than 190 Epic customers.