FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Houston (May 8, 2023) – After 18 months of planning and development, Medical Clinic of Houston, L.L.P. (“MCH”), in coordination with Epic’s Community Connect program available through Houston Methodist, went live with Epic, an electronic health record system. The launch of the new system is interfaced with MCH’s diagnostic testing systems and will replace MCH’s paper medical records.
With Epic, we will see significant improvements in efficiency, patient experience, and timeliness of test results being made available to our patients. Never in the history of the organization has a project been undertaken that touches all parts of our health care delivery process simultaneously – clinical, financial, and operations.
With this implementation, patient records originating from MCH’s primary and subspecialty physicians, Houston Methodist Hospital care, and certain non-MCH physicians will seamlessly connect. Many of our patients often cross between MCH and Houston Methodist facilities and physicians, and now their records will too, allowing providers to collaborate and improve patient care. This coordination is now possible with Epic’s Community Connect program available through Houston Methodist.
“The implications of the new system will be transformational,” said Russell Radoff, M.D., Chairperson of MCH’s Technology Committee, “It will touch every part of the health network, from the way providers care for their patients to the way patients engage with their care teams. I am personally more efficient than I was on paper. While switching 100% of our operating procedures will cause some pain in the short run, I am certain that, with time, we will all see the benefits of Epic.”
Epic allows providers to access data and metrics that have never been available to them before. We will use this data to make more informed decisions, not just for individual patients, but for the broader community we serve. Epic will give our providers real-time and trending analytics, along with risk scoring tools and chronic disease registries to help improve patient care. All of this ultimately helps us engage our patients and clients by providing them with valuable health and wellness information, as well as driving outcomes through analytics.
MCH patients can now register for MyChart, available online and via a mobile app. With MyChart, our patients can see test results, request prescription refills, and ultimately manage appointments and message their provider team at any time. Using a patient portal helps patients take control of their medical care. For more information, visit https://www.mchllp.com/my-chart-powered-by-epic-via-houston-methodist-community-connect-program/ .
The Epic launch has been very successful, due to careful planning, intense teamwork and robust support during the first two weeks of go-live. The Clinic hosted a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to ensuring the transition is as seamless as possible.
The Epic implementation represents an investment to bring our healthcare system up to the highest standards that today’s technology has to offer. Plus, MyChart offers our patients a secure digital and more personalized experience ranging from frictionless check-in experiences, to seeing results, and requesting prescription refills.
Media contact:
Karen Rainey, J.D., C.M.P.E.
713-520-4790
About Medical Clinic of Houston, L.L.P.
A physician owned and Limited Liability Partnership, Medical Clinic of Houston’s board-certified physicians specialize in the field of Internal Medicine. Twenty-six of MCH’s physicians focus on general internal medicine and seventeen physicians practice in various sub-specialties of internal medicine including: Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Oncology, Rheumatology, and Hospitalist Medicine. Gynecology and Radiology are also offered on-site. MCH provides an extensive range of accredited diagnostic testing and ancillary services, resulting in enhanced care and convenience for patients. For more information on Medical Clinic of Houston, visit www.mchllp.com. All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.
About Houston Methodist
Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers. The health system consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the Texas Medical Center, six community hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital throughout the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Houston Methodist also includes a research institute; a comprehensive residency program; international patient services; freestanding comprehensive care, emergency care and imaging centers; and outpatient facilities. Houston Methodist employs more than 26,000 people and had more than 1.3 million outpatient visits and more than 120,000 admissions in 2020.
About EPIC
EPIC is used by more than 2,000 hospitals and 45,000 clinics, including most U.S. News & World Report’s top-ranked hospitals and medical schools. To date, a majority of the U.S. population has their medical records in an Epic system. Epic’s online portal allows patients to securely access their health information, communicate with their providers, schedule appointments and in some cases pay bills on their phone or computer.