Earlier this month, Erlanger Health System announced that is has selected Epic as its strategic partner for a single, integrated EHR system that is expected to cost close to $100 million over 10 years. The new EHR system will incorporate clinical documentation from all areas of patient care into a single database for greater ease of use, better accuracy and timeliness, and the increased satisfaction of patients and clinicians, as patient information will be shared more easily. Epic reportedly beat out finalist Cerner in the EHR system selection process, according to Erlanger CEO Kevin Spiegel.
The Epic implementation is expected to add up to 100 new jobs at Erlanger to support the two-year implementation. Epic CEO Judy Faulkner is expected to visit Chattanooga on May 26 for sessions dealing with the new Epic roll-out.
The Chattanooga, TN-based multi-hospital system with five campuses is the 9th largest public hospital in the United States and is the tri-state region’s only Level One Trauma Center, providing the highest level of trauma care for adults. The Children’s Hospital at Erlanger houses the region’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, as well as a pediatric trauma team, Emergency Center and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Erlanger also serves as the region’s only academic teaching hospital, affiliated with the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga Campus.
