Epic Brings Shared Dental-Medical Health Record

Columbia University Irving Medical Center has marked a first with the implementation of Epic, the first time that dental records for patients at the College of Dental Medicine (CDM) will be part of our institution’s electronic health record (EHR). This single EHR means patients will have the most comprehensive look into their overall health.

“The EpicTogether project is an exciting initiative for the College of Dental Medicine,” said Christian Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, dean of CDM. “This integrated platform reflects the commitment by the University, the medical center, and the college to patient-centered care and to preparing our students for the future of integrated health care.”

The transition to the Epic EHR provides several exciting opportunities at the College of Dental Medicine: 

• Providers will deliver care to patients using an integrated medical-dental record that offers a full view medical history, allergies, medications, and other important information. 
• For dental students, the move to a medical-dental record builds on the integrated education they receive in the first two years of their program with the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. 
• For all students and residents, the platform that Epic provides will more closely resemble the environment in which they will provide care upon graduation and throughout their careers. 

CDM is part of the Epic go-live on Jan. 31, 2020, and CDM faculty are part of the team that will train other faculty, residents, and students. A CDM project team composed of faculty, administrators, and staff is working closely with the EpicTogether team.