CASE STUDY

Healthcare System Leverages e4health’s Patient Identity Management Expertise to Achieve Successful Epic Conversion
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Background

When a major healthcare system faced the daunting task of reducing their duplicate medical record rate ahead of their Epic EHR conversion, they turned to e4health, the industry leader in Patient Identity Management. With a project of this magnitude, the stakes were high, and the need for an experienced partner was paramount.

Objective

At the outset, e4health’s Patient Identity Management / Master Patient Index expertise and project management experience were put to the test. The project team initially identified the primary 5 source EHRs in scope, but through e4health’s discovery and analysis, we discovered an additional 17 systems/databases in need of being converted. Without the discovery of those 17 additional sources, the healthcare system would have missed almost 1/3 of the organization’s patients. e4health’s expertise in understanding how to drill into MPI source systems was crucial in expanding the scope to include additional EHRs from physician practices and stand-alone ancillary systems. 

Actions Taken

Adding in the patient records from these additional source systems dramatically increased the size of the data conversion and the sheer amount of duplicate records that needed to be resolved in time for go-live. e4health’s proactive strategy and meticulous validation process ensured that the customer could trust the accuracy of their MPI data when they went live. By planning ahead for their MPI and data conversion, the healthcare system avoided the pitfalls that many encounter with a late-stage cleanup that is performed without adequate, experienced, resources and a proven methodology. 

The Road to Patient Data Integrity

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Results and Insights

Todd Goughnour, MBA, RHIA, VP of HIM at e4health, emphasized the importance of early intervention, stating, “Imagine, you have made a huge investment in a new EMR yet find yourself with an unexpected mountain of work at the 11th hour. It is just so imperative that organizations immediately plan their data conversion strategy and invest in the necessary MPI data remediation from day 1. Once the ‘delay go-live’ conversation begins, all eyes will be on that one task. Being able to have comfort months prior leaves no question on the go-live date.”  

e4health’s innovative and technology-enabled approach included a comprehensive analysis of all potential duplicate medical records, along with a collaborative effort with Epic to refine merge vector criteria to ensure the job was completed correctly, efficiently, and on-time. This meticulous process reduced the number of addressable duplicates from 850,000 to 450,000, eliminating wasted time and the potential for significant unnecessary spending.  

This case underscores the value of not delaying, or neglecting, a true strategic MPI Conversion approach, and choosing the right partner to help you with patient identity planning. With e4health’s involvement, the customer was able to stay ahead of their conversion schedule and maintain a duplicate rate below the critical threshold set by Epic to ensure a go-live as scheduled. 

The collaboration between the customer, Epic, and e4health serves as a testament to the importance of selecting the right partner with the right knowledge. It is a prime example of how prioritizing data accuracy and process expertise can lead to successful Health IT conversions and quality patient care. 

How Can We Help?

e4health’s expertise in Patient Identity Management and its commitment to empowering better health through innovative healthcare solutions was evident in the success of this project. For more information about e4health’s full suite of solutions and how they can accelerate your organization’s goals, visit e4.health.