6 EHR vendor switches in 2015

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There are any number of reasons for hospitals to switch EHR systems. Providers may seek different functions and capabilities or mergers and acquisitions may require an EHR change to keep all hospitals on the same platform.

According to ONC data presented in September, more eligible hospitals participating in meaningful use changed their EHR vendors in 2014 than in previous years. Four percent of attesting hospitals changed EHRs in 2014, while none did in 2013 or 2012.

In 2015, Becker's Hospital Review reported nearly 60 EHR contracts and go-lives. Here are six of them requiring a switch in vendors.

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/58-ehr-contracts-go-lives-in-2015.html

1. Mayo Clinic: From Cerner and GE to Epic. In January, Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic announced plans to adopt Epic's EHR and revenue cycle management platform and drop its contracts with Cerner and GE. Mayo Clinic CIO Cris Ross told Healthcare IT News the system sought request for proposals from Cerner, GE and Epic and ultimately decided Epic would best meet its needs around revenue cycle and patient engagement.

2. Banner Health: From Epic to Cerner. Phoenix, Ariz.-based Banner Health decided in September to replace Epic's EHR system at its two Tucson hospitals — Banner-University Medical Center Tucson and Banner-University Medical Center South — with Cerner's platform. The two hospitals adopted Epic's EHR when they were part of the former University of Arizona Health Network. Banner acquired the health network in March and decided to switch the hospitals to Cerner, as the rest of the Banner's 28 hospitals use Cerner's EHR.

3. Middle Park Medical Center: From Healthland to Epic. Middle Park Medical Center in Kremmling, Colo., plans to implement Epic's EHR and replace its current Healthland EHR. The hospital partly selected Epic because its managing company, Englewood, Colo.-based Centura Health, is also in the process of transitioning to Epic's EHR, and MPMC will implement Centura's Epic software. (Centura decided in 2014 to switch from MEDITECH to Epic, and go-lives are scheduled to begin May 2016.) Meeting minutes for an Aug. 27, 2015 board of directors meeting at MPMC state, "The Senior Leadership Team has agreed that Healthland is a disaster and we can't wait." According to a Ski-Hi Daily News report, Healthland's software hasn't been updated since 2008.

4. Southcoast Health: From MEDITECH to Epic. In October, New Bedford, Mass.-based Southcoast Health went live on Epic's EHR. The system previously used MEDITECH's EHR platform, according to The Herald News. Keith Hovan, president and CEO of Southcoast Health, said in a statement that having Epic "puts us in good company with top healthcare providers across the nation who have also chosen to go with this leading EHR system."

5. FirstHealth of the Carolinas: From McKesson to Epic. Pinehurst, N.C.-based FirstHealth of the Carolinas plans to switch from McKesson's EHR platform to Epic's EHR platform. FirstHealth CEO David Kilarski said in memo to employees that Epic provides "a single electronic record of a patient's entire medical history" and will be important to patient health management, reports Southern Pines Pilot. FirstHealth announced the EHR selection in August.

6. IASIS Healthcare: From McKesson to Cerner. Franklin, Tenn.-based IASIS Healthcare, an owner and operator of acute care hospitals, currently uses McKesson's EHR but in November announced plans to switch to Cerner's platform. "Cerner is well established with other health organizations in our regions, which will benefit providers across the continuum of care as they strive to make informed health decisions based on patients' complete health records," said IASIS CIO Brian Loflin.

(Note: This list is not exhaustive.)

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