In a rapidly evolving healthcare IT landscape, transitioning from Clinisys Sunquest Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) to Epic Beaker is a big change. One such successful transition story is the collaborative undertaking between JTG Consulting Group and Atrium Health, marking a journey filled with innovation, meticulous planning, and enhanced service delivery.
Unveiling the Need for Transition
The primary driver behind such transformative steps often lies in the inherent limitations of the current LIS. These systems tend to fall short on integration capabilities, real-time data sharing, and often feature outdated user interfaces, hindering optimal laboratory operations performance. Contrarily, Epic Beaker, addresses these challenges head-on, offering a more integrated and user-friendly interface, which is crucial in today's data-driven healthcare environment.
Journey of Collaboration: JTG Consulting Group and Atrium Health
JTG helped facilitate Atrium Health in the transition to Epic Beaker as their LIS across 42 sites between 2019 - 2022, a project spanning three states and dozens of locations. JTG provided invaluable insights and guidance, ensuring a smooth transition amidst the project's complexities. This effort was a huge collaboration of teams working alongside partners including software vendors, IVDs, Atrium IAS and Laboratory teams, and multiple contractors.
A significant aspect of this project was the focus on standardization. We developed standard build sheets for individual labs during the rollout, centralized on Microsoft SharePoint. This strategy fostered consistency, streamlined communication, and ensured a seamless transition of thousands of tests from legacy systems to Epic Beaker.
Real-time feedback was another cornerstone of our strategy. Encouraging in-person observations post-transition and leveraging platforms like Microsoft Teams or Zoom when in-person interactions were not feasible, ensured any issues were swiftly identified and rectified.
The Roadmap of Transition
Transitioning from an existing LIS to Epic Beaker entails a well-thought-out process:
Vendor Selection: Opting for a reliable vendor with a proven track record of successful Epic Beaker implementations is crucial.
Assessment and Analysis: A deep understanding of existing workflows, data management practices, and identifying the gaps are the initial critical steps.
Application Build and Testing: Hands on keyboards executing the plan. Extensive end-to-end testing and Mapped Record Testing.
Data Migration: Ensuring safe data migration while maintaining data integrity is a significant phase.
Training and Support: Adequate training and support during and post-transition are vital for success.
Reaping the Benefits
The collaborative endeavor not only showcased the potential benefits of transitioning to Epic Beaker but also the value of strategic partnerships in achieving:
Improved Integration: Facilitating seamless integration with multiple hospitals and care locations to enhance data sharing and decision-making.
Enhanced User Experience: Modern, intuitive user interfaces leading to better user satisfaction and reduced learning curves.
Streamlined Operations: Automating workflows, real-time analytics, and improved reporting capabilities to enhance operational efficiency.
Conclusion
The successful collaboration between JTG and Atrium Health exemplifies what strategic partnerships can achieve. As we continue to explore future collaborative ventures, we remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering excellence and advancing healthcare technology solutions.
To learn more about Atrium Health’s Epic journey, check out this Dark Report Article: Atrium Health’s Advice on Epic Beaker Rollouts