Ballad Health implements Epic EHR for outpatient sites, to transition hospitals by Oct. 1: 4 details

Johnson City, Tenn.-based Ballad Health launched Epic EHR for its outpatient clinics on June 1 and plans to integrate the technology for its inpatient hospitals as well in the coming months.

Four things to know:

1. The health system decided to move forward with an aggressive timetable for implementation despite the global pandemic. Epic was able to support the health system virtually.

2. This EHR implementation was part of Ballad health's efforts to upgrade its computing infrastructure to improve speed, reliability and security. The system combined two legacy networks and launched a major project to replace 10,000 computers as well as convert the network to Windows 10 in the past six months.

3. Ballad Health, which formed in 2018, expects to have all 21 of its hospitals transition to Epic by Oct. 1. Eight of its hospitals already use the system.

4. Ballad Health CIO Pam Austin said the system has been focused on selecting and implementing a single EHR since inception for better interoperability. The system currently includes care sites in Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina and Kentucky.