UTMB shares lessons of EMR implementation
By Michele Rainford
JUNE 26, 2007--UTMB has gone from being a very thorough and disciplined Epic EMR student to leader and willing teacher ready to share the success and knowledge garnered in its implementation processes to help other healthcare institutions in similar efforts.
Decision-makers from Baylor College of Medicine recently visited the campus for discussions and brief demonstrations of EMR components to help them determine if the Epic EMR system is suitable for their organization’s needs.
It’s no surprise that UTMB was chosen for this site visit.
Over the past fours years, since UTMB selected the Epic EMR system and began the process of implementing and adapting the system to fit the campus’s needs, UTMB has been lauded for its successful implementation efforts by Epic Systems Corporation and is now sometimes viewed as a model for how the implementation process should work.
Back in March 2006 UTMB received a “Good Install” award of more than $15,000 from Epic Systems Corporation for a job well done in implementing the Epic EMR system in Island Pediatrics, which went “live” using the system in March 2005. Island Pediatrics was the very first area on campus to begin using the system.
Keith Schmidt, the Epic Systems Corporation implementation coordinator for UTMB at the time said, “The level of award is unusual for our customers.”
The success in implementing the first Epic EMR component was no beginner’s luck, as UTMB again received accolades from Epic systems in August 2006 with the implementation of the Epic Rx Pharmacy Information system and the Epic electronic Medication Administration Record.
Lisa Ross, the Epic Systems Corporation implementation manager at the time said, “It’s the smoothest one [implementation] I’ve ever attended. We’ve heard a lot of good feedback about the nursing staff at UTMB.”
UTMB has improved upon its implementation processes with the adoption of each new Epic component and was instrumental in forging a new organization of Epic systems users in Texas—The Texas Epic Collaborative—to bring together leaders in the implementation process at healthcare institutions in Texas to learn from each other and maximize their potential outcomes.
The organization, chaired by UTMB’s Chief Information Officer Ralph Farr, had its inaugural meeting in December 2005.
The current TEC members are Austin Regional Clinics, Harris County Hospital District, Parkland Health and Hospital System, Texas Children’s Hospital, Texas Health Resources, UT Medicine San Antonio, UT Southwestern Medical Center and UTMB.
The UTMB EMR project team is continuing to roll out the EMR system to all patient care areas.