Debut of New Medical Record Software Makes Life Easier for Patients and Providers
There is nothing more frustrating to patients than filling out medical history forms every single time they visit a new healthcare provider . It is difficult to remember every single procedure , every single health scare , every single medicine .
NCH is doing their part to end that frustration with the system-wide implementation of a new electronic medical records ( EMR ) system from Epic Systems Corporation ( EPIC ). Under review by NCH since 2019 , Epic ’ s system is rated higher by physicians than any other EMR system and is currently utilized by 20 of the 21 best hospitals ranked by U . S . News and World Report .
The unified platform places the patients ' needs squarely at its core ; handling all patient documentation and billing , and replacing about 150 different applications . Providers will benefit by eliminating double documentation and record-faxing for more efficient record keeping .
" Epic ' s interoperability allows us to better connect with other healthcare providers ,” explained NCH Executive Director of Information Technology , Andrew R . Cooper , MBA , CISSP .
Patient information can now be securely shared with other healthcare systems and practices – both locally and nationally – including Lee Health , Mayo Clinic , and Cleveland Clinic , to name just a few .
" More than five million records are shared daily by organizations using Epic and Care Everywhere , and about 173 million people have a My- Chart account ,” said Cooper . My- Chart is Epic ’ s secure patient-facing portal that allows patients a unified view of their health across organizations and gives them full control of which information they want to share . Patients can can also opt out of sharing any information if desired .
When a patient visits another healthcare provider that does not utilize Epic ’ s software , they can furnish a one-time link to their MyChart
records , so the provider can view their medical information .
In addition to patient records , MyChart offers a secure messaging solution for use by care teams to ensure that all healthcare providers are up to date on a patient ’ s medical status while making recommendations for treatment . Other features include billing inquires and improved bill payment functionality , medication refills and requests , test results , a problems list , provider notes , and online appointment scheduling with current and new providers .
" Video visits , self-check-in , electronic consent signatures , and questionnaires are also available ,” explained Cooper . “ Patients who already have a MyChart account can link the two together and see their information in one spot ."
MyChart is accessible via mobile devices , iPad tablets , Android devices , and internet browsers .
For more information about accessing and signing up for MyChart , visit nchmd . org / mychart .
38 PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE