Kansas FQHC Goes Live With Epic EHR Implementation for Patient Experience

CareArc, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Kansas, has launched an Epic EHR implementation through a partnership with Health Choice Network (HCN) to improve the patient experience.

After the November 5 go-live, patient records at CareArc seamlessly integrate across facilities and care providers, allowing clinicians to boost patient outcomes through data analytics, document management tools, and real-time updates for clinical decision support.

The implementation is set to boost the patient experience by providing access to personal and family health information through the MyChart app, Epic’s online patient portal.

MyChart allows patients to review medications, test results, upcoming appointments, medical bills, and price estimates. Additionally, the portal enables patients to message their clinicians, attend e-visits, complete questionnaires, and schedule appointments.

“This is something we have been working towards for over a year,” Renee Hively, CEO of CareArc, noted in a press release. “Our goal is to always put our patients first and make their visits with us a convenient as possible. Epic will allow our providers to have a better experience with their patients.”

“With the MyChart patient portal, our patients will have better access to their providers and healthcare,” Hively added. “They will be able to message providers directly, schedule their appointments, and see lab results and their medical history all within the app.”

Timothy Long, MD, chief clinical officer at HCN, emphasized that the implementation is a clinical project, not a technical one.

“Epic is providing the digital health tools our health centers need to support their patients and providers,” Long said. “This integrated application will improve the overall patient experience, creating the conditions where joy, purpose, and meaning are possible for physicians and care teams.”

The Epic launch has been largely successful because of the support, collaboration, and project management from HCN leading up to the go-live. The HCN Project Management team worked diligently with both Epic and CareArc to ensure the transition to Epic was as seamless as possible.

HCN provided project management, application and interface Analysts, robust development support, and extensive training resources to support the implementation.

Moving forward, the CareArc team will focus on getting accustomed to the Epic system and continue EHR training to ensure they are using the platform to its fullest capabilities.