University Health System to begin $170M Epic EHR implementation

San Antonio-based University Health System decided to move forward with its Epic EHR implementation after a two-month delay, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

The health system initially delayed implementation due to the pandemic, but will now launch the implementation on July 11 as COVID-19 cases surge in Texas. The $170 million implementation will move the health system, UHS clinics and Bexar County Jail to Epic's cloud-based EHR.

Epic will conduct a virtual EHR rollout to support the health system's nearly 10,000 employees, who have already undergone training on the system.

"Over the past couple of months, our staff and physicians have invested many hours to be trained on Epic. They need to put what they've learned into practice now while the information is still fresh," UHS spokesperson Leni Kirkman told the San Antonio Express-News.

COVID-19 cases have spiked in Texas over the past week, with the state reaching a new single-day record of more than 10,000 cases on July 7. Only two other states — New York and Florida — have reported that many new cases in one day. The state's COVID-19 hospitalizations reached 9,200 as well, according to an NPR report.

While the health system didn't expect to undergo an implementation during the pandemic when its board approved the project in October 2018, Ms. Kirkman said transitioning to Epic will help the system stay abreast of new COVID-19 treatment recommendations.