Epic 2014 Ushers in New Features, Easier Navigation

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By Karen Nitkin on 03/30/2015

Published in Dome - April 2015

Before Johns Hopkins internist Howard Levy prescribes birth control pills to a patient, he checks her medical history. If he learns she has had blood clots in the past, he might recommend a contraceptive that doesn’t increase her risk of future clots.

Although the current Epic configuration includes pre-Epic medical records, it is not easy for clinicians to peer into their patients’ pasts. “I have to remind myself to wonder if there’s a resolved problem, and I have to click over to the patient’s history,” says Levy, a physician champion and co-chair of the Epic design team focusing on patient- and family-centered care.

That will change when the Epic electronic medical record system is upgraded to Epic 2014 on April 12.

After the switch, Levy and other clinicians will be able to view current and past health concerns that are in Epic in a single window, he says. The medical history will be displayed together with the problem list, and right-clicking will move past conditions back into the current problems column. “For a problem that’s resolved but might come back, such as cancer or asthma, having that information at your fingertips is important,” Levy says.

A closer alignment between current and past medical problems is among the dozens of tweaks in the first major upgrade to Epic since Johns Hopkins Medicine began rolling out the system in 2013. Other changes will help users search patient charts, compare clinical data and navigate the online environment more efficiently.

As with periodic upgrades to consumer phone and computer operating systems, the transition to Epic 2014 will deliver a new look and additional features. Since March, myLearning modules have been available to walk users through the changes most relevant to them.

The system will continue operating during the April 6–12 upgrade process and will shut down briefly on April 12 to cut over to the new version. Between April 6 and 12, users will not be able to create custom features, such as new SmartPhrases, but they will be able to use the SmartPhrases and other custom features they had previously created. The ability to create new custom features will resume after April 12.

Among the Epic 2014 upgrades:

Chart Search allows clinicians to search for keywords in patient charts. For example, a search for “hypertension” would yield lists of blood pressure numbers, prescribed medications and lab results.

SlicerDicer allows users to analyze data and conduct preliminary research. “Let’s say you think patients on one statin have a different frequency of abnormal liver enzymes compared to another,” says Levy. “With SlicerDicer, you can ask those questions.”

FastPass lets patients on waiting lists book earlier appointments. If a slot becomes available, the patient receives a MyChart message and can reserve the time slot online.

Orders Quick List lets clinicians select from targeted sets of orders for frequent complaints, such as chest pain, and also create their own Orders Quick Lists for the issues they encounter most.