An Epic trainer assisting a nurse in Vascular Surgery with the new EMR.

Hattiesburg Clinic went live Sept. 29 with a new electronic medical records and practice management software system that allows patients to have quick, secure online access to their medical records, and healthcare providers to update files while the patient is still talking to the doctor.

After an almost two-year search, Hattiesburg Clinic opted to go with the Epic electronic health record software system.

“Epic is the nation’s No. 1 rated electronic health record system, according to KLAS, and has held that rating for 10 years in a row,” said Samantha Kinard, communications manager for Hattiesburg Clinic. “This is going to mean a significantly positive change for the 150,000 patients that we serve at the main clinic facility, 61 satellite locations and 15 dialysis units across the southeastern portion of the state.” 

Iris is the secure online portal of Epic that allows patients to see their medical records, including test/lab results, schedule appointments, request prescription refills and correspond with their doctors. It is a free service for patients who sign up for it.
“Epic caters to large specialty clinics,” said Bryan Batson, MD, a physician at the Hypertension Center and chairman of the EHR Steering Committee and Epic installation. “Epic is the No. 1 EHR in the world. They have the most doctors in the world using it. It is the biggest. It is the best.”

A panel of administrators and physicians evaluated three systems extensively before selecting Epic.  

“When you make this kind of investment, you have to make sure that you’ve explored all the resources,” said Ed Curtis, assistant COO. “My goal as a project director was to allow the experts in our clinic to select the best system for us.”

There was an 18-month training process, and a team of 40-50 employees from all facets of Hattiesburg Clinic was sent to Wisconsin, the vendor’s headquarters, for training. Prior to going live, nurses received 24 hours of classroom training, and physicians received 9-15 hours of training. 

“It has been amazing to watch how this has been embraced over the last few months,” Batson said. “All that training paid off. With any change that drastic, there were some issues, but nothing insurmountable. Overall, it’s been a very successful install.”
In 2009, Hattiesburg Clinic officials decided to find an EHR system that could grow with the clinic.

“The clinic has about 230 physicians, 1,300 employees and 150,000 patients a year,” Curtis said. “Imagine how many patient records we have. Epic is a huge database with tens of thousands of information lists.”

Patients noticed the change immediately.  

“They can get copies of their test results and lab work. They can send messages. Very concretely, they have a whole new level of access to their health records,” Batson said.
Nurses and doctors can use either a hand-held computer like an iPad or a computer that stays in the exam room to enter information into the patient’s file during an exam. And patients can create a password-protected account and log on from their home computers to access their information.

“At the end of each visit, we provide the patient with an after-visit summary,” Batson said. “The patients have really taken to the idea of being more informed.” 

Information can be transmitted from a satellite to the main clinic if a patient is sent there after a visit, so they don’t have to pick up paper copies of their records and take them with them to the appointment. 

One thing that patients really seem to appreciate is that prescriptions can be transmitted directly to the patient’s pharmacy so that the medicine is ready to be picked up when they arrive. No more waiting up to an hour for a prescription to be filled, and no wondering about the physician’s handwriting.

“I envision the day when you will no longer receive a paper statement. You’ll get everything online,” Curtis said.

Batson said an app is being developed so that patients will soon be able to access the Iris portal on their smart phones.

“The future holds that you’re going to have your medical records in the palm of your hand and take it with you wherever you go,” Batson said. 

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