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What Is An EPIC EMR System & How Does It Work?

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    Posted in Epic

    Last Updated | February 29, 2024

    Executive Summary – What Is An Epic EMR System

    With the development of technology, the healthcare system has evolved significantly. As a result, hospitals can now analyze vast amounts of data more rapidly and efficiently. The article helps you learn everything you want to know about what is an Epic EMR System and how it works in greater detail.

    What does Epic EMR stand for?

    EMRs or Electronic medical records are digital or computerized versions of paper records in clinics, clinician offices, private practices, and hospitals. Electronic medical records are simply understood as digital versions of a patient’s chart. Electronic Medical Records contain the patient’s medical history from one practice. They contain information and records collected by the clinicians in their office, clinic, or hospital and are mainly used for diagnosing and treating patients. 

    Given the Importance of Data Quality in Healthcare, EMRs are more valuable compared to paper records because they allow healthcare providers to keep track of data over time, identify and monitor patients, and improve the quality of healthcare.  Epic is a private telemedicine software development company. Epic mainly offers medical software development services. Since telemedicine software cost is particularly high, Epic also constructs, permits, supports, and sells exclusive, affordable electronic medical records software applications.

    The software company’s features include medical device app development as well as medical asset management software. Epic’s healthcare software is based on its Chronicles data management system. The company’s applications enable users to make use of various functions related to patient care, which also include registration and scheduling. 

    In addition to this, the software company’s applications also provide clinical systems for doctors, emergency personnel, nurses, and various healthcare providers. Moreover, Epic also functions as a software company for medical image processing, hence it also provides systems for technologists in the lab, radiologists, and pharmacists, as well as billing systems for insurance workers.  

    How does Epic EMR work?

    Epic’s own Cache Database, which is primarily a more tailored version of the Cache Database used by another company, was modified to be integrated with Epic’s software so that they could use it. The database was specifically designed for agility, reliability maximized speed. It works via a hierarchy system. 

    Epic also has a patient portal tool called MyChart, which is highly user-friendly and enables patients to gain access to personal and family health information quickly. Patients can also text or message their doctors, have online visits, fill in questionnaires, schedule appointments, and actively participate in managing their health. 

    Easy online appointment scheduling with MyChart allows prospective patients to become new patients.  There are many Pros and Cons of Patient Portals. However, the cons of patient portals are outweighed by Epic’s MyChart feature, due to its user-friendly interface that is easy for patients to master. 

    Another tool by Epic, called the MyChart Bedside, enables patients who are admitted to the hospital to stay in touch with their healthcare team, assess their schedule, gain access to customized patient education materials, and request assistance from their healthcare providers. 

    Healthcare compliance consulting firms such as Pivot Point Counselling and Epic Compliance help with the integration of Epic into healthcare technology. These companies make sure that the organization looking to integrate Epic into their system follows government standards. They also provide healthcare information technology (HIT) consulting for Epic, help with strategy, and incorporation, and provide consulting services to multiple healthcare organizations nationwide. 

    Is Epic an EMR system?

    Epic is the preferred EMR system used by many organizations nationwide. EMRs are digital versions of patient charts. Epic EMR resembles many work portals with which doctors can find their profiles via their personalized dashboard. Moreover, doctors are also able to see charts and use the ‘Note Writer’ feature of Epic, which allows them to include notes in the chart. 

    Furthermore, with Epic EMR they can also merge their notes with the medical records of their patients, for easy reference in the future.

    3 Advantages of An EMR System

    3 Advantages of an EMR System

    Is Epic an EMR or EHR?

    Epic is used both as an EMR and EHR. EMR and EHR both are digital records of patient information. 

    An EMR is a digital version of a patient’s chart. It contains the patient’s medical history from one practice, which usually stays in the doctor’s office and is not shared. If a patient switches doctors, their EMR is not likely to follow. Comparatively, an EHR contains a patient’s records from many doctors and provides a more holistic, longer view of a patient’s health. It includes a patient’s demographics, medical history, test results, medications, and history of illness. 

    Epic EMR (electronic medical records) mainly offers medical software development services. Epic EMR also allows providers to keep track of data over time, identify and monitor patients, and improve the quality of healthcare.

    Epic is also a cloud-based EHR (Electronic health record) solution that caters to multiple specialties. For EHR integration companies prefer Epic, which is used across a broad range of practices, ranging from community hospitals, and independent practices to hospital groups as well as hospice healthcare.

    It offers a standard variety of ‘core’ EHR features, and practices can add different modules depending on specialty. Epic strongly focuses on patient engagement and facilitating remote care. Epic EHR features include a vast patient portal, which is available as an app for both Android and iOS operating systems, along with numerous telehealth options, video visits, follow-ups post-surgery, and patient monitoring features. Epic EHR is an example of SaaS Healthcare Companies, explained by the fact that it is browser-based, and has no software to install for any platform. This is the reason why it works with any operating system with a browser, including Mac and Windows. 

    Epic’s software is easy to integrate into and operate within third-party systems. Since Epic’s open-source integration system follows hl7 compliance, records can be shared with other EHR systems operating with the same standards, without hassle. 

    When looking for software that follows HIPAA compliance service providers can choose Epic. Epic EHR is a HIPAA-compliant software for telehealth that stresses protecting patient privacy. It promises to secure patient data, whether the EHR software is being used on a mobile device, web browser, or computer. 

    If you want to learn more here is the complete guide about what is Epic software.

    What is Epic software used for?

    Epic Software is mainly used by large hospitals and practices to acquire, arrange, store, and share digital medical records. 

    Who Uses Epic EMR?

    Epic EMRs or Electronic medical records contain information and records collected by the clinicians in their office, clinic, or hospital and are mainly used for diagnosing and treating patients. Go through the guide of how much is the value of the EMR software.

    What medical facilities use Epic?

    Epic EMR or Epic Electronic Medical Record, is used by many hospitals in the US, which include Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, and Mayo Clinic Hospital. 

    Epic EMR is also used by Mount Sinai Medical Center, John Hopkins Hospital, Stanford Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Fontana Medical Center.

    What do Epic Systems do?

    Epic is a private telemedicine software development company. Epic or Epic EMR mainly offers medical software development services.

    Epic Systems supports operations relevant to patient care, such as scheduling and registering new patients. There are elaborate systems available for nurses, doctors, paramedics, and other healthcare providers. It also functions as a software company for medical image processing, hence it provides systems for technologists in the lab, radiologists, and pharmacists, as well as billing systems for insurance workers. 

    Epic’s medical device UX design provides meaningful and relevant experiences to users. Epic’s UX design process for medical devices places emphasis on safety and documentation. 

    What language is Epic EMR?

    Epic is written in a version of MUMPS global structure, which is then mapped to Caché. MUMPS or Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System is a language planned for and designed to construct database applications. MUMPS was originally formed at Massachusetts General Hospital, where it was used to manage hospital laboratory information systems.

    MUMPS technology has since branched out and is now the predominant database for health information systems, in addition to electronic health records in the United States. MUMPS-based information systems are used across all of United States hospitals and clinics. MUMPS technology’s unique feature is its integrated database language. This enables high-speed access to storage, which provides very high performance and reliability. Epic Systems’ EMR software uses Cache. Both Cache and Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System (MUMPS) are noteworthy in financial services database software. 

    FAQs: What Is An Epic EMR System

    Why is Epic EMR so bad?

    Epic EMRs are known to cause stress and burnout among physicians, who feel that they spend too much time working on EMRs.  Clinicians who try to complete their EMR entries and talk to patients at the same time are also more susceptible to errors. 

    Physicians experience burnout because of not being able to keep up with the EMR system. Patients were also reported to be stressed, due to being skeptical of the information their doctors were noting down.  Epic is also difficult to learn, and the certification process can be very challenging. Vast amounts of data need to be logged for every patient visit and procedure. 

    Other reasons why it was found to be bad were the low-quality training, unfair pricing, poor customer support, and insufficient data entry. 

    Is Epic EMR hard to use?

    Epic EMR’s certification process can be very challenging, hence making it hard to learn. A lot of learning is required. It is also difficult to navigate for a beginner due to its extensive features. 

    However, Epic’s instructors are helpful and make the certification process easier. Epic’s features such as their patient portal tool called MyChart, are highly user-friendly and enable patients to access personal and family health information quickly.  Once physicians are certified and learn how to use Epic, its numerous features allow them to easily document data and maintain it. Patients can also text their doctors, have e-visits, fill in questionnaires, schedule appointments, and actively participate in managing their health, due to Epic’s user-friendly interface.

    Is Epic EMR user-friendly?

    Epic focuses on patient engagement and therefore has a very good, easy-to-use interface. It is user-friendly and efficient. Epic strongly focuses on patient engagement and facilitating remote care. Epic EMR enables rapid and easy data logging and does not hinder care while maintaining high quality. Due to its user-friendly interface, the communication between patients and their healthcare providers is enhanced. Epic’s numerous features allow both physicians and patients to have an easy operating experience. Epic EMR’s Notes feature allows physicians to make notes side by side while filling in their diagnoses. 

    Is Epic a good program?

    By using Epic, hospitals, and practices can document electronic medical records efficiently, which is an example of Quality Improvement Projects in Primary Care. Therefore, Epic is widely used by numerous federal hospitals, clinics, and private practices across the United States.  From a list of the best and the worst EMR systems, one of the best systems is Epic, since it helps medical care providers enhance patient care. Epic’s vast support system, data security, and patient portal features such as their MyChart tool make it a program of choice for many hospitals. Epic’s patient portal is easy to use and provides patients with multiple features such as automated health reminders, telehealth options, video visits, follow-ups post-surgery, and patient monitoring features.

    Doctors are also able to see charts and use the ‘Note Writer’ feature of Epic, which allows them to include notes in the chart. They can also merge their notes with the medical records of their patients, for easy reference in the future. Epic allows physicians to collect information and records in an office, clinic, or hospital which makes it easier to diagnose and treat patients.

    Epic’s trainers are highly qualified and ensure increased staff efficiency. Integration of Epic’s software in hospitals, clinics, and practices results in a significant reduction of clinical, as well as administrative errors. Due to these reasons, Epic EMR and EHR both are in high demand, making Epic one of the leading telemedicine software development companies used by private offices, medical schools, private practices, and federal hospitals in the United States.  

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