Epic Beaker Refuel or Targeted Optimization: Which Does Your Lab Need?

A lab-first assessment can help healthcare organizations determine whether an Epic Refuel, targeted Epic Beaker optimization or a phased combination of both will deliver the strongest results.

As laboratory needs evolve, organizations may begin evaluating whether an Epic Refuel or targeted Epic Beaker optimization is the right next step. Both approaches can help laboratories build on the strength of their Epic investment, improve workflows and prepare their environments for future priorities.

The right choice depends on the scale of the opportunity, the laboratory’s goals and how its connected systems support the overall workflow.

Epic Beaker provides laboratories with a powerful platform for supporting specialized clinical workflows, connecting laboratory information with the broader patient record and advancing greater standardization across a health system. Like any sophisticated system, the Epic Beaker environment must continue to evolve alongside the organization it supports.

Laboratory volumes change. Health systems grow. New facilities open. Instruments and automation are introduced. Testing moves between locations. New service lines and reference laboratory relationships develop. Epic also continues to introduce new capabilities that may create opportunities to strengthen the organization’s original build and workflows.

Over time, Lab and IT leaders may identify a range of enhancement opportunities. Some can be addressed through targeted workflow optimizations, while others may benefit from the broader alignment and standardization offered through an Epic Refuel.

Understanding the difference begins with looking at the complete laboratory environment.

What Is an Epic Refuel?

An Epic Refuel is a structured initiative that helps an organization reassess and strengthen an existing Epic environment. It can include reviewing workflows, governance, system configuration, adoption and alignment with current Epic functionality and recommended practices.

For the laboratory, an Epic Refuel can provide an opportunity to revisit earlier decisions, evaluate how operational requirements have changed and create greater consistency across facilities or departments.

This does not mean the original implementation was unsuccessful. An implementation reflects the organization’s needs, available functionality and priorities at a particular point in time. As the organization and Epic platform evolve, a Refuel can help ensure that the environment continues to support current operations and future goals.

A Refuel is generally broader than a traditional optimization project. It may involve multiple applications, departments, facilities and stakeholder groups. It also requires clear governance, careful planning and close collaboration among Epic, organizational leadership, operational teams and IT resources.

What Is Targeted Epic Beaker Optimization?

Targeted Epic Beaker optimization focuses on defined areas where the organization wants to improve performance, usability or operational efficiency.

Rather than reviewing the entire environment, the organization may concentrate on a particular workflow, department, facility or technical connection. Examples could include:

• Reducing manual steps in specimen processing

• Refining rules to support greater autoverification

• Improving instrument or automation connectivity

• Strengthening middleware alignment

• Addressing interface errors or workflow exceptions

• Improving reference laboratory or send-out testing workflows

• Standardizing a process across selected locations

• Making better use of existing Epic Beaker functionality

• Improving work queues, reports or result review processes

• Preparing a specific workflow for growth or increased testing volume

  
  

Targeted workflow optimizations can often deliver visible results within a defined scope. They may be particularly valuable when the core Epic Beaker build is strong and the primary opportunities are concentrated in specific areas.

The Laboratory Extends Beyond Epic Beaker

Epic Beaker may sit at the center of the laboratory’s digital environment, but laboratory performance does not depend on one platform alone.

Orders, specimens and results move through an interconnected ecosystem that may include:

• Epic and Epic Beaker

• Laboratory instruments

• Automation lines

• Middleware

• Point-of-care testing systems

• Reference laboratories

• Outreach applications

• Blood bank systems

• Third-party interfaces and integration engines

• Operational policies and manual processes

  
  

Each component must work together to support an efficient and reliable laboratory workflow.

When users experience friction within an Epic Beaker workflow, the source of the problem may be several steps away from where it becomes visible. An issue could originate with an instrument connection, middleware rule, interface mapping, exception-handling process or operational decision.

In other situations, the technology may be functioning as designed, but the laboratory’s needs may have changed since implementation.

This is why an Epic Beaker optimization initiative should begin with the workflow, not a predetermined technical solution. Following the complete journey of an order, specimen and result helps teams identify the true source of friction and determine the appropriate response.

Begin With a Current-State Assessment

Before deciding between an Epic Refuel and targeted optimization, Lab and IT leaders should develop an accurate understanding of the current environment.

A lab-first current-state assessment may review:

• Order entry and accessioning

• Specimen collection, labeling, routing and tracking

• Instrument and automation workflows

• Middleware rules and autoverification

• Reference laboratory testing

• Result review and delivery

• Interfaces, mappings and error handling

• Manual workarounds and duplicate data entry

• Differences among departments, facilities and shifts

• Reporting and work queue requirements

• User adoption and training needs

• Enhancement governance and prioritization

• Upgrade and maintenance processes

  
  

This assessment should include both operational and technical perspectives.

System data may show that an interface is functioning correctly, while laboratory staff can identify the manual intervention required to manage exceptions. Users may perceive a delay within the EHR, while workflow analysis identifies an opportunity involving specimen routing, middleware or instrumentation.

Bringing these perspectives together helps the organization identify root causes and invest in changes that will produce meaningful operational improvements.

When Targeted Workflow Optimizations May Be Enough

Targeted Epic Beaker optimization may be the right approach when opportunities are concentrated within clearly defined workflows, departments or facilities.

Indicators may include:

• The overall Epic Beaker environment is stable and performing well

• The core build remains aligned with organizational standards

• Performance gaps affect a limited number of workflows

• A small number of manual steps create a disproportionate burden

• Existing Epic functionality is available but not fully utilized

• Instrument, middleware or interface improvements could address the issue

• Users would benefit from additional training or workflow guidance

• The organization needs measurable improvements with limited operational disruption

  
  

For example, a laboratory may be able to increase autoverification by refining rules, mappings and exception handling. Another organization may improve turnaround times by addressing how specimens are routed or how send-out testing is managed.

Targeted workflow optimizations should still be approached strategically. Each initiative should have a defined objective, measurable success criteria and an understanding of how the proposed change will affect connected systems and downstream workflows.

Without that broader perspective, an improvement in one area could unintentionally create additional work elsewhere.

When an Epic Refuel May Be Beneficial

An Epic Refuel may offer greater long-term value when opportunities extend across multiple departments, locations or areas of the Epic environment.

Organizations may consider a broader initiative when:

• Workflows and build decisions vary significantly among facilities

• Growth, consolidation or acquisition has created new requirements

• Local exceptions have accumulated across the organization

• Governance or decision-making responsibilities need greater clarity

• Interfaces, rules and mappings no longer reflect current operations

• Teams want to take greater advantage of current Epic capabilities

• Upgrades require significant coordination or recurring rework

• Leadership wants a more consistent foundation for future expansion

• The organization is pursuing broader clinical or operational transformation

  
  

A Refuel allows the organization to step back from individual enhancement requests and consider the environment as a whole. It can help identify where greater alignment, standardization and adoption would improve performance while positioning the organization to continue benefiting from Epic’s evolving capabilities.

For laboratories, the strongest results come when Lab and IT leaders are actively involved throughout the initiative. Their participation helps ensure that enterprise goals, Epic best practices and the realities of laboratory operations remain aligned.

Standardize With Purpose

Standardization can reduce unnecessary complexity, simplify support and create a stronger foundation for growth. It can also make system maintenance, testing and training more consistent across an organization.

However, standardization does not necessarily mean that every laboratory, department or workflow must operate identically.

Some differences may be necessary because of testing menus, patient populations, instrumentation, regulatory requirements or facility capabilities. The goal is to distinguish necessary operational requirements from variations that developed through historical decisions, local preferences or short-term workarounds.

A practical governance model can make standardization the starting point while allowing carefully evaluated exceptions when they provide clear clinical, operational or regulatory value.

Epic, laboratory operations and IT teams each bring an important perspective to this process. Working collaboratively helps the organization make informed decisions that support users while maintaining a consistent and sustainable environment.

Define the Outcome Before Selecting the Approach

The decision between an Epic Refuel and targeted Epic Beaker optimization should begin with the results the organization wants to achieve.

Possible objectives include:

• Reducing turnaround times

• Eliminating unnecessary manual steps

• Increasing autoverification

• Improving interface reliability

• Reducing errors and rework

• Creating more consistent workflows

• Improving the user experience

• Simplifying system maintenance

• Supporting new facilities or service lines

• Preparing for future upgrades

• Strengthening governance and accountability

• Increasing the value realized from the Epic investment

  
  

Once the desired outcomes have been defined, the organization can evaluate the gap between its current and future states.

If the opportunities are concentrated and the underlying environment remains strong, targeted workflow optimizations may provide the clearest path forward. If similar challenges appear across multiple sites, applications and connected systems, an Epic Refuel may create greater and more sustainable value.

A Phased Approach May Offer the Best of Both

The decision does not always have to be one approach or the other.

Some organizations may benefit from addressing urgent workflow opportunities first while developing a longer-term Refuel strategy. This phased approach can deliver near-term operational improvements without losing sight of broader standardization and modernization goals.

For example, a laboratory could prioritize an instrument integration issue or a high-volume manual workflow while preparing for a wider review of governance, system configuration and cross-site consistency.

Sequencing the work in this way can help the organization:

• Address high-priority operational needs

• Demonstrate early value

• Build stakeholder support

• Manage resource demands

• Reduce change fatigue

• Create a practical roadmap for continued improvement

A phased approach can be especially useful for health systems with complex laboratory networks, competing priorities or limited internal resources.

Choosing the Right Path for Your Laboratory

Epic Beaker is a powerful platform, and organizations can continue to realize greater value from it as laboratory operations evolve.

The right strategy begins with understanding how work happens today, identifying the root causes of friction and establishing measurable goals. That foundation allows Lab and IT leaders to determine whether targeted workflow optimizations, an Epic Refuel or a phased combination of both will deliver the strongest results.

The objective is not to pursue the largest transformation or the fastest fix. It is to select the right-sized approach that strengthens laboratory operations, supports users and prepares the organization for what comes next.

How JTG Supports Epic Beaker Optimization

JTG Consulting Group works alongside laboratories, health systems, Epic and other technology partners to help organizations strengthen their Laboratory IT environments.

Our team combines Epic Beaker knowledge with specialized experience across laboratory operations, instruments, middleware, interfaces, automation, validation and connected systems. This lab-first perspective helps organizations evaluate Epic Beaker within the context of the complete laboratory ecosystem.

Whether a laboratory is evaluating an Epic Refuel, addressing a targeted workflow opportunity or developing a phased optimization roadmap, JTG can help assess the current state, identify priorities and support implementation.

Learn more about JTG’s Epic and Epic Beaker consulting services, or contact JTG at contact@jtg.group to discuss the next phase of your Epic Beaker journey.

Epic is a trademark of Epic Systems Corporation.