NYC Health + Hospitals delays next phase of $764 million Epic EHR implementation
System has dealt with dozens of layoffs and several leadership changes in past six months.
NYC Health and Hospitals has extended the timeline of their system-wide implementation of the Epic electronic health records system by several months as they work to include "lessons learned" from phase one, the system told Healthcare Finance Thursday.
"The implementation timeline for the 40,000 users in more than 70 patient care sites across the system has been extended a few months to take into account insights learned from the successful first phase of the implementation. We are moving forward at the appropriate pace to ensure the best possible result for patients and providers."
Though they declined to specify what those insights were, a spokesperson said the $764 project is currently on budget, and the next 'go live' date for implementation at their Coney Island facility is on schedule for later this month. The ehr system has already been implemented at NYC Health's Queens and Elmhurst facilities, as well as the 20 off-site neighborhood health centers affiliated with those two hospitals, and the system's home care service.
The system said the new EHR has enabled patients to take advantage of features allowing greater convenience and access to their medical information.
[Also: NYC Health + Hospitals cuts 70 jobs months after new CEOs appointed]
"In the months since the first implementation at the two hospitals, more than 10,000 patients have enrolled in the MyChart feature, giving them easy access to their own medical records and medical information and a simple way to refill needed prescriptions online."
The system said they would be measuring any improvements to the quality of care stemming from the implementation separately.
NYC Health and Hospitals is a network of 11 hospitals, trauma centers, neighborhood health centers, nursing homes and post-acute care centers serving more than one million New Yorkers annually and employs 42,000 staff members, according to their website.
In the last six months, the system has also juggled recent layoffs of 70 positions dubbed "redundant managerial level, non-clinical" positions, as well as changes in leadership.
[Also: Epic, Optimum, Premier snag high honors in 2017 Best in KLAS awards]
In August, the system announced four new CEOs: William T. Foley, who now leads NYC Health and Hospitals-Jacobi; Christopher Roker, who now leads NYC Health and Hospitals-Queens; Alina Moran, CEO, NYC Health and Hospitals-Metropolitan; and Maureen Pode, CEO, NYC Health and Hospitals-North Central Bronx.
The appointments represented the final phase of executive leadership changes, with other new leaders already having been previously appointed to their Bellevue, Coney Island, Harlem and Elmhurst facilities.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn
