UConn Health NICU Taps Epic EHR Implementation for Patient Safety
Training is underway for a June 28 Epic EHR implementation at Connecticut Children’s NICU at UConn Health that aims to enhance patient safety.
Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at UConn Health will soon join the rest of the health system in streamlining clinical documentation with an Epic EHR implementation set to enhance patient safety.
Connecticut Children’s NICU at UConn Health was unable to integrate with UConn Health’s initial Epic EHR implementation in 2018 and has stayed with paper documentation since.
The unit’s June 28 move to UConn Health’s instance of Epic is designed to improve patient safety by providing clinicians with a single source of truth for all patient information.
“Our team’s practice will be aligned with current standards for documentation of patient information,” Lisa Dion, nurse manager of CT Children’s NICU at UConn Health, said in a press release. “Team members will have access to patient information and imaging in one location.”
Patients will also benefit from improved communication and access to health information via MyChart, Epic’s online patient portal.
Additionally, the system will connect to the Epic Care Everywhere interoperability platform, enabling providers from both UConn Health and Connecticut Children’s to access the EHR in real-time.
“This will enable continuity of care and interoperability for improved patient care and coordination,” said Patti Siegel, director of Epic inpatient applications in UConn Health’s IT Department.
EHR training is underway for all team members involved in the care of neonates, including respiratory therapists, lactation nurses, dietitians, pharmacy staff, social workers, case managers, occupational and speech therapists, and wound care specialists.
Role-specific training will take place through June 21. Upon go-live, 17 “super users” will help with training and provide clinician support.
“Beyond the scheduled training sessions, the best way to adjust to Epic and become proficient is to practice using the system prior to the June 28 go-live, and of course, ask for help,” Siegel said. “We’ll have at-the-elbow support during go-live, plus the IT service desk will have 24/7 on-call support.”