“We have locations in Illinois and Missouri and a number of outlying clinics, and we need a single, truly integrated, state-of-the-art system to meet the needs of our patients and our providers as well,” Christopher Solaro, MD, PhD, chief medical officer at Blessing Health System, told Becker’s.
While implementing a new EHR system can be costly, Dr. Solaro believes the transition to Epic will ultimately lead to cost savings.
“We can’t afford not to do this. With integration and efficiencies, we’re actually saving money by moving to Epic,” he said.
Blessing Health System has already started preparations for the transition, with staff and providers engaged in the early stages of the implementation process. The health system is also working directly with Epic on the roll out.
“We are working with Epic in a two-way fashion. They have folks coming here to help, and we have people going to their campus to really learn more about the system,” Dr. Solaro said.
Beyond integration, the new system is expected to enhance patient access to healthcare services through Epic’s patient portal. Additionally, Dr. Solaro said the transition will improve interoperability.
“Not only will we have integration within our health system, but interoperability across our regions, so it’s going to provide our patients a much more comprehensive, seamless experience for healthcare,” he said.
While the primary focus is on implementation, Blessing Health System is also exploring Epic’s AI capabilities.
“We’re all about looking at the AI features that Epic has to offer. One of the things that interests me is their integration with artificial intelligence in documentation. They have a virtual scribe and AI built into documentation, so we’re learning about that and considering it,” Dr. Solaro said.
The new EHR system is slated to go live across Blessing Health System on March 21, 2026.