October 2020 marks Southcoast Health’s fifth anniversary with the electronic health record (EHR) system Epic. Epic has enabled Southcoast Health to consolidate all of our patients’ medical information into a single record – achieving both Epic’s and Southcoast Health’s goals of helping people get well and stay healthy.

During the past five years, in conjunction with Epic, the Southcoast IT, operations, and clinical teams have partnered to bring innovation and best practices to meet and exceed patient care standards in the South Coast region. 

Epic is an EHR system used by more than 250 healthcare organizations nationwide. Epic’s applications support patient care functions, including MyChart, clinical networks for doctors, nurses, emergency personnel, and other care providers, population health through community sharing, and billing systems for insurers. 

“Over the past five years, IT has closely collaborated with both the Operations team and clinical personnel – ensuring the systems in Epic are built to meet their operational needs,” says Lisa Bechard, Chief Nursing Information Officer. “On the flipside, Epic’s Implementation Team works side by side with Southcoast Health’s IT team to ensure systems and ongoing projects are meeting our organizational and healthcare goals.”

Epic empowers practitioners to work together seamlessly across Southcoast Health’s entire network of physician practices, urgent care, ambulatory clinics, home health, and hospital services, and provides a solid foundation that enables clinicians to deliver the best patient care possible.

“These resources enable me to improve access to care, quality of care, and patient experience while simultaneously decreasing the cost of care,” said Dr. John Podkowa, Southcoast Health Chief Medical Information Officer and Primary Care Physician. “Our Epic capabilities and resources rank high on a long list of reasons I chose to be a Southcoast Physician.”

The integrated EHR system has helped Southcoast Health make great strides in delivering high-quality patient care and optimal information technology use. Recently, Southcoast Health has earned 2020 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired recognition at two different levels – the Digital Health Certified Acute LEVEL 8, receiving the Quality Award, and Digital Health Certified Ambulatory LEVEL 9, receiving the Performance Excellence Award.

Additionally, Southcoast was also recognized for its achievements within Epic, receiving an Honor Roll distinction for the fourth time. Requirements to earn this distinction include computer hardware and business continuity, meeting benchmarks in population health and patient experience, and ease of use, requiring collaboration across all IT systems and areas. 

“Epic provides the benefit of having all of your up-to-date information available in one single record that can be accessed anywhere at Southcoast,” said Keith A. Hovan, President & CEO of Southcoast Health. “We know this will empower our patients to become full partners in their own healthcare – now and in the future.”

Learn more about how MyChart can empower you to become a full partner in your own health care.

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