“Epic is the premier electronic health record in the United States,” said Cedillo, who helped lead the project. “It is the Cadillac. It has the features. It has the research and development behind it. It is a never stopping, always evolving EHR, and that’s what we were looking for.” Patient-Centric Most important, she said, “One of Epic’s guiding principles for the organization is to be patient-centric.” Epic’s online portal, MyChart, allows patients to manage appointments, request prescriptions refills, see test results almost instantly, review and update medical information, message doctors, and much more – all from a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Cedillo said patients seem to prefer sending messages (which, on average, have been getting next-day responses) rather than calling, then sorting through phone menus and waiting on hold. “It gives patients empowered access to their own healthcare,” she said. Expanded Access Epic also helps patients by giving caregivers access to much more information about past healthcare encounters. Care providers can almost instantly access records from patient visits not only to CCH and its four partners but also to other healthcare entities, anywhere, that use Epic – and even some that use non-Epic EHR systems. Covington County Hospital includeing Smith County Emergency Hospital in Raleigh adopted the Epic system as part of a consortium with South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel, Magee General Hospital in Magee, Simpson General Hospital in Mendenhall. “Going live on Epic across five hospitals in a single day was no small effort,” said Gregg Gibbes, President and CEO of South Central Regional Medical Center and CEO of its partner hospitals. “It required months of planning, countless hours of training, and a true commitment from every member of our team. What impressed me most was the way our staff and providers came together with a shared purpose. This wasn’t just a technology launch—it was a system-wide transformation aimed at improving patient care, strengthening communication, and positioning our hospitals for the future. I couldn’t be more proud of the collaboration and dedication that made this milestone possible.” ‘Incredibly Proud’ “It was one of the most complex, demanding, and positively impactful moments in the history of Alania Cedillo, PharmD, FACHE CovingtonCares 17
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