Hospital leaders trying to balance the need to reduce the cost of the Epic implementation process and keep the installation program in-house are being very mindful of how they use consultants.
"We are also using external resources, such as consultants. We are using them very intentionally in areas we know we can complement the implementation process," New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health CIO Sophy Lu told Becker's. "We also work with Epic themselves on the process. However, we are ensuring that the process is a Northwell-led program."
Consultants have long played a key role in the EHR installation process. In 2015, Deloitte launched Evergreen Solutions, an EHR implementation program modeled after Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health's (then Catholic Health Initiative) Epic deployment.
Deloitte claims that the program can reduce EHR installation costs by as much as 30 percent.
Memphis, Tenn.-based Memphis Le Bonheur is partnering with Deloitte as it looks to go live with a new Epic EHR in October 2024.
"We have brought in Deloitte consulting as our implementation partner," said Methodist Le Bonheur COO Monica Wharton. "We wanted to ensure that we had an experienced implementation partner who would work with other large health systems similar to ours, who were used to coming in on time, on budget and on benefit."
Ms. Wharton said that along with assisting in the implementation process, consultants can answer questions from clinicians about Epic during town halls and meetings.