One-Day EHR Switch Takes Months To Plan

Health IT Outcomes visited UPMC Hamot to talk with Dr. Richard Long, SVP & CMO; David Gibbons, executive VP & COO; and Lisa McChesney, director of information systems. Specifically, the trio talked about the lessons learned when transitioning its EHR from Soarian to Cerner – referred to as the “Big Bang” – when Hamot merged with UPMC in 2011.

Long discusses why the decision was made to switch EHRs in one fell swoop, saying the short term pain was preferable to a long, drawn out process. Long notes, however, the one-day transition took months to plan.

To see more videos about UPMC Hamot’s EHR transition, visit its “On The Road” page.

About UPMC Hamot
UPMC Hamot is a 446-bed hospital in Erie, PA, offering a full complement of inpatient and outpatient services, and serves as a regional referral hub and Level II Trauma Center. Supported by a 400-member medical staff and 3,100 dedicated employees, UPMC Hamot’s mission is to serve its patients, communities, and one another in the UPMC Hamot tradition of quality, health, healing, and education. UPMC Hamot’s superior health care services are continually recognized by notable accrediting bodies.