There’s a new electronic record-keeping system coming to United Hospital Center and it’s EPIC – literally.

 

With the touch of the computer keyboard, medical staff will have at their fingertips all previously-available patient information and history within the WVU Hospitals system.

 

“EPIC is a single system, state-of-the-art EMR and billing system, rated No. 1 across the nation by independent surveys by hospitals and physicians,” said Brian Cottrill, assistant vice president and assistant CIO of WVU Medicine. “We’ve gone from a slightly outdated tool by today’s standards to the No. 1 system in the world. We’ll not only be able to see all information that happens here, but also anywhere across WVU medicine.”

 

If, for example, a patient of WVU Hospitals in Morgantown seeks treatment at UHC, medical staff will be able to learn all patient medical history at the Morgantown facility, Cottrill said.

 

The implementation of the new program will eliminate some of the repeated questioning of patients by hospital staff concerning personal information and medical history.

 

“It won’t completely eliminate it as every episode of care, things have to be confirmed,” said Stephanie Smart, vice president of nursing at UHC. “But this will make it a smoother process. Information already in the system will not have to be re-entered or recreated every single time.”

 

The EPIC computer system and transition to MyWVUChart will be in effect Aug. 1, but it’s a project which has been in the making for a couple of years.

 

“We have an IT department across the health system that has over 300 employees who have been working on this and here at UHC we have almost 2,000 people to train and that training started two years ago,” Cottrill said.

 

With UHC recently named one of the Most Wired hospitals in the nation – meaning that of 5,000 hospitals in the country, it is one of the top 300 – the EPIC initiative is a technological advancement that will even further increase efficiency, he said. That translates to achieving an even higher standard of care coordination through electronic health records for the thousands of patients which UHC serves.

 

“Our medical practices and hospitals are able to cooperatively ensure that caregivers and patients have access to the most accurate and up-to-date medical data,” Cottrill said.

 

MyWVUChart can also be accessed by patients as a way to view health information and communicate with their healthcare team. It can be accessed via the Internet and email and most features can also be accessed through a mobile app. Patients can schedule appointments, view test results, request medication renewals, view and pay bills.

 

Although MyWVUChart will replace RelayHealth as of Aug. 1, patients will continue to have access to RelayHealth to view past medical information.

 

How MyWVUChart Works

 

1. To use MyWVUChart, you will first need to activate your account. You can request an activation code online at MyWVUChart.com. Be aware that your information may not appear in MyWVUChart until after August 1. You will have 30 days to activate your account before your temporary code expires.

 

To obtain access to a family member’s chart (including children up to age 18), please request access in person, with the patient, during your next clinic appointment or at any Health Information Department to obtain the necessary signatures.

2. You can log in to your MyWVUChart account 24/7 from any computer or mobile device. You may also receive messages about your healthcare (such as upcoming appointments or notifications that your doctor has a message for you) to your email account from the MyWVUChart system.

 

Urgent Medical Matters

MyWVUChart is not intended for sending messages requiring urgent attention. For urgent medical matters, contact your doctor’s office by phone. If you have a medical emergency, dial 911.

 

Technical Support

For assistance with MyWVUChart, contactMyWVUChart@wvuh.comor the toll-free support line, 866-982-4278.

 

For complete terms and conditions, please visit WVUMedicine.org.

 

UHC appreciates your patience as you may experience or notice some delays during the initial implementation of the new WVUHC EPIC computer system and MyWVUChart.