The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the importance and relevance of Electronic Health Records and digital tools for the management, diagnosis, and treatment of the virus. Healthcare systems and doctors are relying on online tools including telemedicine facility to treat patients remotely that require care and timely opinion from the clinician.
Epic EMR Software, one of the largest Electronic Medical Records vendors in the United States is making an impactful difference in the way healthcare systems operate by providing digital tools and a robust set of solutions that help provide care for COVID-19 patients effectively.
Epic EMR Software Takes Rapid Response
Epic is delivering opportunities for healthcare providers and hospitals to deal with the pandemic by updating its digital tools and solutions. Epic’s telemedicine platform is being used as an effective way to provide virtual consultations. Patients can use MyChart Patient Portal Software and clinicians can use their smartphones to start a live video session. This facility has greatly helped to keep clinicians safe and deliver optimum care to patients. These virtual appointments are high definition and give the opportunity for the patients to receive effective remote treatment at any time from their homes.
Hospitals are also taking advantage of the artificial intelligence (AI) tool developed by Epic which helps to identify risk levels of hospitalized patients with the virus. Machine learning technology is used by Epic index to evaluate patient data which includes; vital signs, lab results, and medical assessments which concludes the likelihood of a patient needing intensive care.
Epic also updated its travel screen criteria to detect patients that have recent travel history to affected regions and places. The vendor plans to update these criteria automatically according to the new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control.
Analytics tools within the Epic’s EHR suite enable clinicians to create and run effective reports to understand how patients are being affected by the COVID-19 in the community. A physician may be able to trace the patient’s positive to COVID-19 by Zip Code.
Conclusion
The capabilities of these digital tools cannot be underestimated during these trying times. Epic’s updated features are helping to manage COVID-19 cases and analyze patient data and stats with effectiveness.
Resources
Coronavirus Updates | Epic. (2020). Retrieved 13 May 2020, from https://www.epic.com/covid-19
Drees, J. (2020). Hospitals tap Epic AI tool to identify COVID-19 patients who may need critical care: Dozens of hospitals including University of Michigan and Stanford (Calif.) University are using a repurposed artificial intelligence tool developed by Epic to help identify risk levels of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, STAT reports. Retrieved 13 May 2020, from https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/ehrs/hospitals-tap-epic-ai-tool-to-identify-covid-19-patients-who-may-need-critical-care.html
How EHR vendors are arming providers to handle COVID-19. (2020). Retrieved 13 May 2020, from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/how-ehr-vendors-are-arming-providers-handle-covid-19
How Epic’s digital health tools are helping fight COVID-19 – Inside Wisconsin – April 2020. (2020). Retrieved 13 May 2020, from https://www.ibmadison.com/Blogger/Inside-Wisconsin/April-2020/How-Epics-digital-health-tools-are-helping-fight-COVID-19/
Wisconsin company uses technology in the fight against COVID-19. (2020). Retrieved 13 May 2020, from https://www.tmj4.com/news/coronavirus/wisconsin-company-uses-technology-in-the-fight-against-covid-19
