Mercy unveils Epic Medical Records System - Kansas

One more hospital making the transition. Also the rural and surrounding areas will be connected to the same system to enter chart information from their locations as well. The new system from Epic replaces older technology at Mercy called Meditech that only allowed for a partial electronic record, real time chart updates. Epic is the system also in use at Kaiser Permanente. BD

The future of health care information technology has become a reality in Kansas. On Sunday, an entirely new computer system called Epic became operational at Mercy Health Center, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. The system went live in the Mercy Physician Group portion of the health center on Monday. Epic Systems Corporation is a health care software company based in Madison, Wis. In late 2006, Mercy Health Center, along with other facilities in the Sisters of Mercy Health System, began preparing for the implementation of the system-wide Epic computer system.

The Epic system will also expand Mercy's electronic record capability that is currently available in many areas of the hospital and physician offices, allowing similar electronic charting in the Emergency Department and Surgery, as well as rural Mercy clinics located in Pleasanton and Arma, the Mercy statement said. The change to a new computer system will benefit patients because when they are seen at a rural Mercy clinic or emergency location, health care providers will be able to work from the same consolidated, continuously updated electronic record, creating real-time access to information.

Physicians will also be able to use the new system to enter orders for medicine, and generate reports on recalled medications for patient safety reasons. The system will also send patients periodic safety alerts. The system allows for the continuous electronic update of a patient's medical record. It replaces an older technology at Mercy called Meditech that only allowed for a partial electronic record. Mercy computers will be used at each bedside allowing the caregiver to enter patient documentation while observing the patient simultaneously.