Rapid City, S.D.-based Regional Health deployed a systemwide Epic EHR Oct. 22, according to the health system's website.
All hospitals, clinics and specialty treatment centers will use the same EHR to ensure patient information resides in a single location. Stephanie Lahr, MD, chief medical information officer at Regional Health, said it was difficult to share patient records between facilities prior to the go-live.
"We had issues with the communication of information and caregivers and providers not knowing the full story when they were trying to provide patient care," Dr. Lahr told KOTA TV. "So Epic will take all of those records and put them in one place together."
Regional Health will also offer patients access to MyChart, Epic's patient portal. Patients will be able to access information related to their medical visits at any of the Regional Health locations through a single MyChart login.
Regional Health officials have enlisted a 24/7 IT team to help patients and caregivers learn how to operate the MyChart system.