However, for a hospital of its size, taking on such a massive transition alone would have been financially impossible. Thanks to a strategic partnership with Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth, Gunnison Valley Health is not only implementing Epic but also gaining access to resources that will enhance patient care as well as the implementation process.
From a patchwork of systems to a unified platform
Before making the switch to Epic, Gunnison Valley Health operated on four or five different EHRs, depending on the department. This fragmentation created inefficiencies in communication, data reporting and care coordination.
“The real why [for the switch] was that we had so many systems,” Jason Amrich, CEO of Gunnison Valley Health, told Becker’s. “It was becoming a barrier for us to provide the highest level of care we could in our community and do it in a way that was the best steward of our resources.”
After evaluating multiple EHR vendors, including Cerner—now known as Oracle Health—and Meditech, the hospital decided that Epic was the best fit. The tipping point? The opportunity to partner with UCHealth, which, according to Mr. Amrich, has one of the most advanced instances of Epic in the country.
A partnership, not an affiliation
For Gunnison Valley Health, maintaining governance and autonomy while leveraging UCHealth’s Epic infrastructure was a key priority.
“UCHealth was very transparent in saying, ‘Here’s what we can provide for you, but in no way, shape or form are we dictating what you have to do or can’t do,'” Mr. Amrich said. “I get to tap into this advanced Epic instance and these experts, but my team still governs what’s going on.”
Rather than forcing Epic to adapt to Gunnison Valley Health’s existing workflows, the hospital saw this transition as an opportunity to adopt best practices from both Epic and UCHealth, while right-sizing them for a critical access hospital.
Financial feasibility through Community Connect
Implementing Epic independently would have been financially unfeasible for Gunnison Valley Health. The cost savings from using Epic’s Community Connect model, which allows smaller hospitals to use a larger health system’s Epic instance, made the decision a no-brainer.
“There’s no way we could afford it on our own,” Angela Kobel, CFO of Gunnison Valley Health, told Becker’s. “Just the sheer cost difference between Epic on your own versus a Community Connect product is significant.”
Mr. Amrich echoed this sentiment.
“Outside of the hardware upgrades we’re having to do, we could never afford this on our own,” he said. “Some of the bigger systems are partnering with smaller rural hospitals to make this possible, and that’s a huge advantage for us.”
The hospital is also bracing for short-term financial dips as it adjusts to the new system, a challenge Mr. Amrich said the organization is prepared to weather.
“We know there will be some financial dips with the transition, and we’re ready for that,” he said. “But we’re also optimistic that Epic will help us improve charge capture, documentation and coding, which should ultimately put us in a stronger financial position long term.”
The go-live
The new Epic system is slated to go live at Gunnison Valley Health in May. Stephanie Porter, MD, chief medical officer at Gunnison Valley Health, said the organization and UCHealth have already begun preparing staff.
“Another great part of connecting with UCHealth is now that they have done this program with several other hospitals, they are learning what we need, and so they’re constantly refining what they offer,” she told Becker’s. “They [UCHealth] start a year ahead, not only with the build of what our hospital is going to need, but also by introducing different staff members to what this is going to look like and how it could affect our workflows.”
Dr. Porter explained that UCHealth uses a phased training approach, beginning with broad exposure to the system and progressing to more specialized training for different roles.
“We’re now entering our true training period, where they offer both in-person and virtual training, as well as online modules in different stages,” she said. “For providers, they offer a VIP early training to make us super users, and we get a one-on-one coach. I have our coach’s cell phone, so I can reach out anytime with questions. As we get closer to go-live, the trainings become more targeted and specific, repeating key aspects and allowing customization.”
Access to innovation and future growth
Partnering with UCHealth not only makes the Epic transition possible but also opens the door to future innovations. Gunnison Valley Health is particularly interested in leveraging UCHealth’s virtual health initiatives, including remote ICU care.
“One of the things we want to do is look at their virtual health center,” Mr. Amrich said. “Can we provide some level of virtual step-down care, virtual ICU care? Having a shared instance of Epic will greatly facilitate that.”
Ultimately, Mr. Amrich sees this transition as more than just an EHR upgrade—it’s a strategic move to future-proof Gunnison Valley Health.
“We’re a small but mighty team,” he said. “This partnership isn’t about losing autonomy—it’s about gaining the resources we need to keep care local, improve efficiency and bring the best possible technology to our patients.”