New Medical Record Builds More Connections Between Patients and Employees
Transparent, comprehensive, efficient—this is how Elena LeBarron, RN, nurse clinical coordinator at Saratoga Hospital, described the Albany Med Health System’s new electronic medical record (EMR).
In November 2024, Columbia Memorial Health, Glens Falls Hospital, and Saratoga Hospital joined Albany Medical Center in going live with the unified EMR platform to centralize patient records and elevate care delivery. This includes practice locations outside the hospitals and urgent care centers.
In an effort that began more than two years ago, Epic, an industry leading EMR platform, replaced multiple independent EMR systems that had been in use throughout the System.
This means that, with Epic, all members of a patient’s care team now have seamless access to a patient’s record, whether they’ve been seen in Hudson or in Glens Falls.
“Medical information has been centralized into one complete and comprehensive EMR platform accessible by health care staff throughout the Health System and the patients as well,” LeBarron said. “It allows better transparency of medical information for the patient, empowering them and their families or caregivers to be more aware of and more involved in their medical care.”
With Epic launched a new patient portal, MyChart, that allows patients to easily and securely access their own health care information. Patients can view test results more quickly, manage and schedule appointments, request refills of their prescriptions, message their doctors, and more.
The portal also allows patients during a hospital stay to get real-time updates and information about their care. And, when patients receive test results, MyChart links to educational material about the purpose of that particular test.
LeBarron said that she has heard from patients who like having all their information in one place.
“I have had patients and their families come up to me with MyChart open and referring to the upcoming appointments in the app,” she said. “They like seeing appointments with different specialties all in the same place, and the accessibility of simple but important information such as the name of the provider they are seeing or the address of the facility, with even an option in MyChart to open directions that will help them get there.”
For System employees, LeBarron said that the ease with which she and her team can access a patient’s record not only from other departments at Saratoga Hospital, but other System campuses, has been crucial. Epic has also cut down on paper processes. Staff no longer have to rely on paper patient charts or reports and can easily view documentation from another System hospital.
“The information sharing and inter-facility availability is a significant improvement,” said LeBarron.
Robert Magee, MD, from Columbia Memorial Health, said that while there was a learning curve when the new platform went live, staff adjusted quickly. “We are already seeing benefits to the standardization of a medical record, greatly improving efficiency and patient care.”
The EMR launch was a collaborative effort between employees across the Albany Med Health System. Staff traveled between hospitals and offices to assist with training and support during the go-live period and beyond.
“I was grateful for all of the support we received during switchover from one EMR system to another, whether during the pre-work that was done before the switchover or during transition and the continued support we receive,” LeBarron said.