Piedmont Launches Epic EHR Implementation Across Five New Hospitals

Atlanta-based healthcare system Piedmont has successfully launched an Epic EHR implementation at its five newest hospitals.

In August 2021, Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center, Piedmont Eastside Medical Center, Piedmont Eastside South Campus, Piedmont Macon Medical Center, and Piedmont Macon North Hospital joined the Piedmont system.

EHR training is one of the most crucial practices that a health system can do when implementing a new EHR system.  According to the most recent KLAS Arch Collaborative report, high-quality EHR training is key to improving clinician EHR satisfaction.

Prior to the EHR implementation, more than 1,700 clinicians had nearly nine months of training. To assist with any complications, volunteers from other Piedmont hospitals with Epic knowledge offered at-the-elbow support the week leading up to the launch.

“We’ve seen great engagement across the board, from our physicians and nurses to our scheduling and registration staff, throughout the implementation of this new system,” Leigh Hamby, MD, chief medical officer at Piedmont, said in a public statement. “That preparation paid off, and we thank everyone for their patience, as we worked to ensure our patients continue to receive the highest quality of care during our transition.”

Through this Epic Systems implementation, Piedmont hopes to improve interoperability and care coordination at these facilities.

The EHR system will enable better provider access to patient information from across the Piedmont system, the press release stated.

Regardless of the facility, each patient will have one comprehensive medical record in one electronic medical chart, said Piedmont officials.

“We are pleased and excited to offer a new level of convenience to our patients for their healthcare needs,” said Hamby. “Clinical staff throughout our system will now be able to pull up a patient’s medical history quickly and know about current medications, allergies and other essential patient information. That level of integration, transparency and communication is crucial to caring for our patients and helping them stay healthy.”

Piedmont MyChart allows patients to view test results, send and receive secure messages from their provider, manage appointments, pay bills, and request prescription refills online.

In addition, the new system provides an array of modules such as Epic Rover that allows staff to review and document tasks and conduct barcode validation at the point of care using mobile devices.

“The convenience of Piedmont MyChart is a game changer for our patients across our service area,” said Geoff Brown, chief information officer at Piedmont. “It gives our patients the tools they need to be active participants in their own wellness.”

Epic Systems is leading the way among EHR vendors as it is the most widely used system. In 2022, KLAS named the EHR vendor Epic as the top Overall Software Suite in its Best in KLAS 2022 report for the 12th consecutive year.

Epic was also recognized as the top Overall Physician Practice Vendor. The EHR vendor won nine additional Best in KLAS awards, including top patient portal.