Aspen (Colo.) Valley Hospital plans to go live on a new Epic EHR system in October 2022, The Aspen Times reported June 16.
The hospital's board of directors approved the $15.4 million project June 14. Aspen Valley Hospital CEO David Ressler told the board that while the expense is "a very significant cost for a hospital like ours," it is also necessary, according to the report.
Aspen Valley's Epic system will replace the hospital's current Meditech EHR and will include a one-time licensing fee of $6.1 million to Epic and another $6.5 million for the system's implementation. Aspen Valley will also pay $890,000 for Epic employees to spend multiple months in Aspen helping with the roll out and another $1.5 million for the use of its own resources during the EHR launch.
The EHR transition is part of Aspen Valley's overall strategic plan, Mr. Ressler said, adding that the Epic go-live will improve the 25-bed hospital's revenue cycle management and better integrate population health management into its operations.
Aspen Valley resumed discussions with Epic about eight months ago after a September 2015 alliance with University of Colorado Health that would have brought Epic to the hospital failed to materialize, according to the report.
Deploying Epic will create 13 long-term full-time jobs at Aspen Valley and an additional four short-term full-time positions.