EPIC TRAINING IS COMING! NEW TRAINING CENTER AND COURSE REGISTRATION OPENING SOON

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1 JUNE 2017 EPIC TRAINING IS COMING! NEW TRAINING CENTER AND COURSE REGISTRATION OPENING SOON The Epic Training team has been busy preparing for the July opening of Epic training registration. Dates will vary based on application. This will be for everyone who needs to take Epic training for the February 4 go-live of Epic at Chilton and Overlook Medical Centers as well as Home Care and Hospice. There are multiple types of training that will take place from fall 2017 through winter This includes training for credentialed trainers, super users, end users and providers (see infographic on page 3 for dates). Roughly 11,000 people will need to be trained in Epic, an enormous undertaking requiring careful planning and timing. Making sure everyone who will use Epic understands how to use it is imperative to ensuring a smooth transition to the new system and maintaining quality patient care. Epic Training is one of the biggest success factors in implementing Epic, said Mark Nolte, Epic Training Manager, who has been through several Epic go-lives. While the time commitment isn t small, we ll have a stronger healthcare system and better care for our patients. The more involved and engaged we are, the more successful we ll be. All Epic training will take place at the new Epic Training Center. Located in the former Gibbs community college on Route 10 in Livingston, the center has multiple classrooms for hands-on learning. Directions to the site and other information will soon roll out on the new Training section of the Epic Compass site. Several members of the Epic Implementation team, including representatives from Home Health, Nursing Education, Nursing Informatics and Nursing leadership, took a tour of the new facility on June 21, and had a preview of the Course Catalog that will be made available online to Continued on page 3 WHY I LIKE EPIC: INTERVIEW WITH MICHELLE NEIER, MD This is the first in a series of interviews with Atlantic Staff who have used and like Epic. The sky won t fall. It s not that terrifying. It really will be OK. That s how Michelle Neier, MD, Pediatric Oncology, Morristown Goryeb Children s Hospital, answers when asked if there is one message she could share with providers before Epic provider training starts in Fall Though she says it with a laugh, Dr. Neier is serious when it comes to understanding the Epic system and its transformative impact on how providers treat their patients. I like the ease of use. I like that everything is in one place. I m not searching for charts anymore and I m not struggling to read someone s handwriting, explains Dr Neier. I can now much more easily communicate with the other physicians either within pediatrics or in other locations. It is going to be a 1

2 WHY I LIKE EPIC INTERVIEW WITH DR. NEIER Continued from Page 1 hugely positive change for Atlantic Health System to have all of our hospitals on Epic. Dr. Neier first learned Epic during provider training for pediatrics at ambulatory practices in Morristown in While the time involved in Epic provider training can be daunting, Dr. Neier believes her preexisting computer savvy helped smooth the process. For providers yet to go through Epic training (with or without computer savvy), it s all about overcoming rumors and fears and keeping in the mind the bigger picture. She is a firm believer that with adequate will and preparation, Epic is a tool to make providers lives easier. More than just software Many people think of learning Epic in terms of learning a new software system. While Epic is new software, I think the better way to look at it is how Epic will change and make easier the way you currently practice medicine. Dr. Neier recommends looking at Epic in terms of how it can help mimic or streamline workflows as opposed to a complete change. If you think about how you can adapt Michelle Neier, MD, Pediatric Oncology, Goryeb Children s Hospital your workflow to make Epic part of it, it s less overwhelming. Looking beyond the Screen Dr. Neier especially hopes to dispel the idea that using Epic means an increased amount of time spent on the computer. A lot of people assume that once you switch to Epic you have to be on a computer the entire time. It s just not the case, and I think that s the biggest myth about it. You shouldn t just be looking at the computer. You should still be interacting with your patient and their families and stopping, just as you would have with paper, to take notes. There s no reason why that dialog or process needs to change. Though a brand new electronic health system represents an enormous change, Dr. Neier underscores how much of patient interaction and care remains the same. Someone said to me shortly before go-live, You ll just be sitting in your office looking at your computer. I look at it differently. I explained that, no, I m not chained to my computer. With Epic, so much of the focus is on the software aspect. I start my visits the same way I did before. I come in the room, I greet the patient, and I say, ok hold on a sec, I m going to open up Epic so we can review your meds together. I care about the patient in front of me. That s what people lose sight of. This is just a way of capturing the data. If you use it to capture data and share information, then it will be helpful. If you use it as a looming allencompassing technological hurdle, of course it will be harder for you. Tips for Training One way to help understand how to use Epic before and even during training is to ask someone currently using it if you can watch how it s used in action. It s kind of theoretical until you use the system, says Dr. Neier. She also recommends asking about tips and tricks that are useful to a particular practice area and to follow-up on topics that don t make sense or seem especially confusing. Dr. Neier could think of a few things she wished she had known to ask about while in training. There are little things I ve learned over time. For example, I didn t know that if you right-click where it says encounter provider you can just say change provider. It s a small thing, but it really helps. Another fear Dr. Neier was happy to quell involved opening and closing charts. We all had this fear that if you close or open a chart incorrectly that the world will come crashing down on you. It s just not the case. If you open a chart by accident, it s ok! Not the end of the world or even something to worry about. Dr. Neier emphasizes the need to vocalize and dispel these kinds of fears and to remember Epic is a tool to improve how you care for your patients. She believes this is key to successful Epic training and using the system smoothly after go-live. Epic will ultimately make your life easier. The computer won t explode. You ll be alright. Have you used Epic? Let us know. Please contact EpicCommunications@atlanti chealth.org 2

3 Epic Training is Coming! Continued from Page 1 staff on July 16. Mark Nolte, Epic Training Manager, gave an animated walkthrough of what to expect. Julie Sarinelli, Nurse Manager, Epic Clinical Champion, Judy Wall, Director, Epic Clinical IT, Denise Fochesto, Chief Nursing Officer, Business Director and Jodi Morris, Principle Trainer, ClinDoc, helped field a range of questions from attendees. The Epic Site Coordinators were also on hand to help distill key information to bring back to their respective sites. The event also offered the chance to raise concerns and discuss how to communicate important information about training to staff. The result was a lively discussion that included both laughter and serious discussion of what is at stake to make Epic training run smoothly. The late attendance policy was a particularly hot topic. Doors will be closed at the start time of each class, underscoring the need for staff to properly plan to be on time. Another hot topic was understanding how Super Users experienced in one role can provide support in other areas. Once you know Epic, when you see another user s screen you can help someone navigate to what they need, explained Jodi Morris. For instance, an inpatient nurse will use a system list like an ED nurse would use a Snapboard. Though training is requires time, it is also an exciting opportunity to strengthen the skillset of all staff who take Epic training. Though Epic training is a required commitment you don t have to see it as a burdensome one said Denise Fochesto. It s critical to realize that knowing how to use our new system will not only make your life easier, it will also improve how you do your job and care for your patients. Jodi Morris, Epic Credentialed Trainer, answers questions Epic Training Timeline for Chilton, Overlook, Home Care and Hospice Mark Nolte, Epic Training Manager, previewing the Epic Course Catalog Don t for to check out the latest issue of the Epic ClinDoc Bulletin available monthly on the Epic Compass page. 3

4 EPIC USER ACCEPTANCE TESTING A SUCCESS Testing the build of Atlantic s Epic system is critical to ensuring that it operates as it was designed to before the system goes live. The Epic Testing team kicked off the Testing Phase of the project in May and hasn t stopped testing Atlantic Health s Epic system and related interfaces since! There are multiple kinds of testing that must be conducted to ensure the system is ready. One such type of testing is User Acceptance testing (UAT). This testing is designed to give end users the chance to review and validate workflows in Epic. The process is also a chance to uncover, track and resolve any issues, and requires an extensive amount of time from the Design team and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The team held their UAT kick -off at 475 South street on May 30 and continued UAT through early June. During UAT there are two types of testing, Integrated and Application testing. Integrated testing validates end user workflows from start to finish over multiple applications. Application testing validates workflows within one application area. Integrated Testing will have its kickoff on June 26. Application testing is underway and scheduled for completion at the end of July. Testing will continue through the summer until the Training phase of the Epic project in Fall According to Heather Ramadoss, Epic Testing Manger, and several members of the testing team, the process was largely productive and successful. Once you enter vital signs, it s pretty easy, said Cynthia Wertman, Unit Nurse Educator, Mother Baby Unit, Morristown Medical Center, referring to her experience in UAT. The progress was thanks in large part to the hard work and efforts of the team. Everyone worked so hard to make sure the process was successful, said Heather. There is really a concerted effort to resolve all issues and continue to make great progress in ensuring our system is ready. Members of the Epic end users conducting User Acceptance Testing at 465 and 475 South Street. 4

5 EPIC OPERATIONAL READINESS PROGRAM LAUNCHES See below for more photos from the new Epic Training Center There are many aspects that contribute to a healthcare system s ability to ensure it is ready for a large scale implementation. Awareness, desire to change, knowledge of new processes and the ability to apply new skills are all good indicators of readiness. What is critical is that all staff recognize the need for system-wide operational ownership of Epic and are supportive of its adoption. As part of extensive efforts to ensure Atlantic Health is ready for Epic, the Epic Operational Readiness program officially launched with the first of its bi-weekly meetings on May 31. The group is comprised of hospital leadership from across the system as well as department managers and staff working on the Epic implementation. From L to R; Julie Sarinelli, Nurse Manager, Epic Clinical Champion, and Epic Site Coordinators Christine Pearl, Norlene Thomas, Jill Irwin and Jeanne Silva Our Epic Operational Readiness team brings together seven sites via telepresence on a bi-weekly basis as we plan this exciting phase in our journey, says Stephanie Schwartz, President, Chilton Medical Center. This team will be key to ensuring Atlantic Health is not just ready for go-live, but ready to excel as a fully integrated healthcare system. A new ISS location is being set up to support the Epic Training Center The focus of the meeting is on action-oriented and direct discussion and decision making to ensure all sites are ready for go-live. Critical information is also shared, such as operational risks, project status, key metrics and assessments as well as tools for communicating about the project. The team will provide support and ensure engagement from all sites to make certain Atlantic Health can standardize, optimize and transform successfully when Epic goes live in We are all very excited about the capabilities Epic has to enhance the patient experience, improve patient safety and dramatically improve the availability of patient date to all stakeholders, says Alan Lieber, President, Overlook Hospital. The Operational Readiness meetings are meant to ensure that we coordinate the Epic implementation so that we optimize these goals, minimize the surprises and support our teams as we go live. A classroom at the New Epic Training Center Please EpicCommunications@atlantichealth.org with questions, comments and ideas for stories! 5

6 EPIC IMPLEMENTATION TEAM KEY CONTACTS Debbie Cancilla Vice President, CIO Ben Bordonaro Director, ISS Kathleen Conn Epic Communications Ronnie Daly, MD CMIO Deb Dente Director, Revenue Cycle Denise Fochesto, RN CNO, Business Director Ray Leyba Director, ISS CJ Milano Director, Administration Katie Monfredi Business Coordinator Mark Nolte Training Manager Heather Ramadoss, Testing Manager Julie Sarinelli, RN Nurse Manager, Epic Clinical Champion Jennifer Scatcherd Program Manager, Epic Project PMO Judy Wall, RN Director, Epic Clinical IT Site Coordinators Jill Irwin Chilton Site Coordinator Christine Pearl, RN Newton/Hackettstown Site Coordinator Kelly Sansone, RN Morristown Site Coordinator Kelly Jeanne Silva, RN Morristown Site Coordinator Norlene Thomas, RN Overlook Site Coordinator 6