OMC goes live with Epic

Another local healthcare provider has made the switch to Epic.

Over the weekend, Olmsted Medical Center went live with its new medical record system. The Epic software replaces the two electronic health records OMC had previously been using, along with its billing system.

OMC says the $28 million project will support greater continuity of care throughout OMC’s hospital and clinics. OMC employs more than 1,200 healthcare professionals at 20 sites across southeast Minnesota.

“Integrating the medical record into one platform not only enables OMC to replace our two medical records, but it also provides enhanced connectivity to our other IT platforms,” said Tom Ogg, chief information officer at OMC.

The Epic system, added Ogg, will also allow for connection opportunities to other healthcare providers in the region. Recently, Mayo Clinic made the transfer to Epic. Mayo’s new system went live in Rochester this past May.

Like Mayo, OMC anticipates the transition to Epic will increase efficiencies and streamline workflows for clinicians and other providers.

“First and foremost, we did this to continue our mission of providing exceptional patient care that focuses on caring, quality, safety, and service,” said Tim Weir, OMC’s chief executive officer.

Weir said patients will notice a new and enhanced patient portal called OMC MyChart. According to OMC, the new portal will:

… provide patients 24/7 access to their medical information from a desktop computer or via a mobile device. Patients will be able to exchange secure messages with their care team, view health information from their visits, request prescription refills, and request or cancel appointments. They will also be able to view laboratory, radiology, and other test results, with most results being released immediately. In addition, OMC MyChart offers patients a way to pay their bill online without needing to go to a separate bill pay portal.

OMC’s transition to Epic involves roughly 350,000 medical records.