Epic Training at GBMC!

"I must go document in Epic!!"

If you haven't seen our new videos for Epic, be sure to visit the Epic pages of the Infoweb to view them!

Are you ready for the Epic go-live on October 1, 2016? A major component of our preparedness is how well trained you and your coworkers are to navigate, document and record successfully in Epic.

Our Instructional Designers are hard at work building and training curriculum to help guide your way in the system.

What makes up the Epic curriculum? Take a look at what we have to look forward to in the coming months! Listed below are some of the materials that are currently being developed.

E-Learning Lessons
Prerequisite, interactive video lessons that provide short overviews of Epic functionality to prepare you for classroom training

Workflow Overviews
Overviews that quickly run through a feature so you can visualize what your workflow will be like after you've had a chance to practice using Epic

Lesson Plans
PowerPoint lesson plans customized with information specific to your workflow. These lesson plans include frequently asked questions, tips for navigation and Hyperspace demonstration during classroom training.

Exercise Booklets
Each course during classroom training has an exercise booklet with real-world scenarios and steps for you to complete in the system specific to your role.

Quick Start Guides
Step-by-step instructions for common tasks to help you adjust to the new system during go-live

Time Savers
Short tips to help you become more efficient after go-live

Denise Kosmas
Training Project Manager for Epic

352 Days Left!

In approximately one year, GBMC HealthCare will have one medical record system for all patients, regardless of the setting in which they receive their care. As a Systems Analyst working for The Milton J. Dance, Jr. Head and Neck Center, I am looking forward to having one medical record system for GBMC's entire patient population.

Some may agree that our current process for accessing data from multiple sources and compiling this data to create analysis reports is time consuming. However, after previously serving as an Epic Application Coordinator for another medical system, I have experienced Epic and can seriously appreciate the convenience of having one record per patient.

Epic's Reporting Workbench is just one of the tools available that will allow me to access Epic's database for the reporting needs of the Dance Center. The Reporting Workbench tool is a part of Epic's Cogito, which is Epic's embedded analytics or set of tools designed to expand the usefulness of our electronic healthcare infrastructure. We expect that Epic's Reporting Workbench will greatly increase the performance of creating and presenting analysis reports.

Gregory Lee
Systems Analyst at The Milton J. Dance, Jr. Head and Neck Center

Epic Users' Group Meeting Recap!

Did you know that GBMC is one of 27 new organizations in the past year to begin an Epic implementation around the world? Recently, some of GBMC's team members had the opportunity to visit Epic's Users' Group Meeting (UGM) along with more than 17,900 attendees from 11 different countries!

Epic's UGM is an opportunity for organizations across the globe to come together and collaborate to discuss various topics in healthcare, clinical workflows, and prepare for go-live and beyond! Here are some fun facts about UGM 2015:

• Group Meeting Theme: Classic TV. Epic's CEO Judy Faulkner's executive address was based on "I Love Lucy."
• Participants joined in on a Cow Chip Toss, Tug-o-War, a petting zoo and other fun events.
• 104 CEOs from different healthcare organizations attended.
• 800 speakers presented a total of 740 sessions.
• 1,770 tests were completed in Usability Labs, allowing attendees to test out Epic's software with our development team and provide feedback.

We hope the attendees from GBMC learned a lot while exploring Epic's campus, and most importantly, had fun! Luckily, you don't need to be in attendance to benefit from the knowledge presented throughout the week. All you need is a UserWeb Account! All GBMC HealthCare employees can create an account. 

Here are the steps to create a UserWeb Account:

1. If you don't have a UserWeb account, register here.
2. Once you have your account, go to https://ugm.epic.com/ and select "session materials."
• You can search for specific sessions or enter keywords to see what other organizations have presented. If you're interested in learning more, every presentation has contact information on the last slide.
• Work with your Epic partners to schedule a "meet and greet!"

An Experts' Group Meeting for analysts and clinicians will be held April 11-22, 2016 so stay tuned for more as we continue our Epic Adventure together!

Shea Taylor

Implementation Coordinator, Epic

I see ACs, I see IDs!

Imagine being a patient and conducting your next primary care visit via video conferencing from your smartphone or tablet. This capability will soon be available at GBMC.

In order for that functionality to become available, your GBMC Application Coordinators (AC) and Instructional Designers (ID) are hard at work.

ACs address all issues that arise during the project for their application and are very knowledgeable of the organization policies, procedures and business operations. Their role is to provide primary support for a specific application.

IDs work with project leadership and ACs to develop the overall training program. IDs will provide end users with information about workflows and processes as well as how the system functions. In essence, although GBMC has purchased the Epic platform, it is up to our ACs and IDs that work tirelessly to customize the system based on feedback from physicians, managers and staff. Your input ensures that the system has the look and feel of GBMC, while meeting our internal needs.

A day in the life of an AC consists of regular communication with Epic representatives and working with physicians, managers and end users to ensure the system meets the organization's business needs. ACs and IDs must understand the choices involved in application configuration in order to ensure optimal functionality of the system. They investigate end users' preference while making build decisions. In addition, the team must also perform in-depth analysis of workflows, data collection, report details, and other technical issues associated with Epic software.This will take months and hundreds of hours!

So the next time you run into an AC or ID around GBMC, do not hesitate to ask them questions to learn more! Also, do not hesitate to ask questions or post comments in the comment section below! Remember that you, too, are participating in something GREAT and EPIC. This is your organizational project. Your time and efforts are not in vain.

Your Epic system implementation team is working hard each day to build a system that supports our vision...to every patient, every time, we will deliver the care we would want for our own loved ones.

Dione Harrison
Manager - HR Business Partner Services

Build Buckets

In our last blog, we mentioned something about "build buckets." So, what is a build bucket? That is a great question as we now start Phase 3 of the Epic project: System Design and Build!

We have just completed our third series of Workflow Adoption meetings with our Epic counterparts to understand how our GBMC workflows will be incorporated into the Epic software. (Thank you to all that attended to provide the needed input to the processes!) But our work does not stop there! The Epic analysts are now taking collected data to start building the system.

We will continue to collaborate with our SMEs (subject matter experts) on a regular basis to review our build and meet our aggressive timelines. We know this requires extra time and effort, but it contributes to making a better and safer healthcare information system for our patients. If you have any questions or comments along the way, don't hesitate to speak up. Also, don't forget that you can always leave comments below!

Back to the Build Buckets.

The build buckets are the heart of what the Epic team is working on right now. It will take four buckets to build the GBMC HealthCare Epic system before we test to see how the build is working. Each bucket has very defined tasks per application, but it is like building a house (or sandcastle).

Testing what was built starts in December!

Together, our buckets will build the system we want and need! It takes all of use to make this happen.

Kay Everett

Clinical Project Manager

Resolute

In a previous blog, we explained the origin of the names of various Epic applications. However, we forgot one: Resolute! We figured that this was such an important application that it warranted its very own blog post!

Resolute is the name given to Epic's hospital and professional billing systems. Truth is, I don’t know why the billing systems are called Resolute, so here are some findings from my research that may give us clues as to where the term possibly originated.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines resolute as “marked by firm determination” or “bold/steady,” derived from the Latin word resolutus, meaning “loosened, released and paid.” So Epic probably used this adjective-based word to show that with our billing systems, we will be adamant, firm and persistent!

Digging deeper, we can research further why Epic may have chosen the name Resolute.


Operation Resolute (Balkans) - British portion of the NATO-led, peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Some insurance companies are rather fierce with their claim denials and rejections!
• Resolute can be seen as a "peacekeeping force!"

HMS Resolute 

Operation Resolute - The Australian Defense Force contribution to patrolling Australia's exclusive Economic Zone

• The billing office is like a force protecting GBMC's Economic Zone.

HMS Resolute (1805) - A British Hulk or Floating Prison

• I know this is a tough job, but this would be pushing it a bit far...

How about:

Resolute Desk - The Desk in the White House Oval Office

• The very desk that the President sat to write the Affordable Care Act! He hears and sees all the key words like: Insurance, rejections, denials, premiums, accessibility, less waste. Hmm, I may be onto something...

I was going to check with Alex, my Epic Hospital Billing Resolute Application Manager but we were too busy with our Build Bucket 1 tasks. And I knew you would ask: "What is a Build Bucket?" Good question! Keep reading our blog because we'll cover that another time.

Jonathan Schoemann

Epic Access and Revenue Project Manager

Timehop Tuesday

GBMC and Epic, Unite!

As we enter the summer months, I want to take time to reflect on a recent trip to Verona, Wisconsin. As part of its physician engagement program, Epic has developed a physician overview course intended to impart a deeper understanding of how to utilize their system.

In April, I was able to attend this class with Dr. Hmu Minn in Internal Medicine, Drs. Renu Thomas and Angela Yin with the Hospitalist group and William Zirkin in the Emergency Department. One of the first lessons learned when we arrived in blustery Verona was that one must pack and dress appropriately for a spring trip to Wisconsin! As we entered one of the classrooms, I was impressed by the number of physicians from various other healthcare organizations around the country. Here are some of the stats from the course.

The two-day course was packed with content and information that is new to all physicians using Epic. We were able to learn about many of Epic's functionalities and potential enhancements over our existing electronic medical record system, including Epic's user-friendly patient portal.

Getting Trampled by a Mammoth!

Despite the information-packed days, we were able to find time to tour Epic's sprawling, unique campus, as well as to interact with some of their distinctive artworks.

At the end of our visit while we waited for our departure at the Milwaukee airport, the group and I discussed over breakfast about what we learned and the endless possibilities of delivering care using Epic as our EMR. We came to the conclusion that Epic will be an excellent tool for us to provide the care we would want for our own loved ones, and we look forward to bringing its incredible potentials to GBMC.

Check out some of our other photos from our trip!

Dr. Zirkin Freezing