Oracle Cerner EHR Implementation Locks Org in Adventist Health Network

California-based Adventist Health Mendocino Coast (AHMC) has announced a $12 million Oracle Cerner EHR implementation that is expected to increase interoperability across the Adventist Health Network.

The project, set to go live by December 1, 2022, plans to integrate all hospital functions, from patient registration to reporting test results, physician orders, and insurance billing.

Additionally, the Oracle Cerner EHR implementation will facilitate seamless provider access to lab and x-ray results regardless of the Adventist Health Network facility, according to a public statement.

“This is an exciting time for staff and doctors at the hospital as it will greatly improve the ease of providing care and the quality and safety of that care,” William Miller, MD, chief of staff at Adventist Health Mendocino Coast hospital, wrote in an Anderson Valley Advertiser article.

“The $12 million cost is being borne by Adventist Health (AH), a fact that underscores AH’s long-term commitment to providing hospital services on the Coast,” Miller continued. “Cerner is the EHR standard used throughout the AH system.  Bringing the hospital onto the AH network will allow access to many of the care redesign initiatives that assist each AH facility in providing best practices of care.” 

Aside from the expected interoperability gains, the platform will give patients access to a patient portal where they can conveniently access their personal health information, such as test results. Miller stated that patients can also use the patient portal to talk to their care team and schedule appointments.

“AHMC’s move to Cerner on December 1st will be an important step in improving the quality and safety of care provided at the hospital,” Miller stated. “It is expected to improve provider and staff job satisfaction leading to increased employee and provider retention.”

“It is also expected that patients will experience better efficiency and timeliness in their care,” continued Miller. “A great deal of planning has gone into this implementation, including testing of the system and training staff and providers. While any such conversion may carry unexpected challenges, much effort has been spent on ensuring that the transition will go as smoothly as possible.  It is indeed an exciting time for our hospital.”

Oracle Cerner has become one of the most prominent EHR vendors, second to Epic Systems. According to the most recent KLAS market share report, Oracle Cerner holds 24.4 percent of the hospital market. 

Right now, Oracle Cerner is locked in as the federal EHR provider, securing several government contracts with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Defense (DOD), and Homeland Security’s US Coast Guard (USCG).

In late September 2021, Cerner received $113 million in funding as part of a $134 million 18-month task to provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with EHRM Wave G Deployment. The EHR vendor also secured $14 million in VA funding as part of a $23 million 9-month task for Waves K-M under the vendor’s existing EHRM IDIQ.