Going Galactic for Epic
If you need to find some inspiration for your team as we gear up for Epic implementation, turn to the ColumbiaDoctors Patient Access Center located in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The call center is going galactic–using Epic’s naming conventions and creating a theme for the team’s work area.
The team handles patient phone calls for more than 130 ColumbiaDoctors clinicians from multiple specialties. Managers recognized early on the impact that the new electronic medical record would have on their team and made it their mission to make the changes fun and engaging. In addition to regular workflow discussion in team meetings, the center’s team took part in redecorating their workspace, surrounding themselves with Epic terminology definitions to support learning about the new environment.
Epic calls its system environment “Hyperspace” and encourages users to explore Epic topics in the “Epic Galaxy,” so the call center adopted the space theme to help keep team members engaged. Super Users are the lead astronauts, and a prize wheel serves as Mission Control as team members test their knowledge and spin to win.
“As managers, it is our responsibility to motivate our employees for change,” said Kim Morel-Betances, assistant director of the Patient Access Center. “We’re a family, and we support each other through every step of the process. I’m extremely proud of the way the team has embraced this change and is prepared for what lies ahead.”
Associate Chief Medical Information Officer Rachel Lewis, MD, said employees of the Patient Access Center are a great team, working cohesively while covering disparate offices and specialties. “We talk a lot about the culture change we will experience with Epic. This team is modeling ways to turn potential frustrations into opportunities to learn,” Lewis said. “They are a strong example of how to approach training and change management.”
Epic Training Update
Summer will be a busy time as final preparations are put into place for Epic training this fall. Managers are taking the month of June to schedule team members. Every End User will receive a calendar invite of scheduled training dates. Please work with your manager if you have questions. The training section of epictogetheryny.org is the place to go for additional information to prepare for training.