Swedish Medical Center Implements Integrated Content Management Solution with Epic EHR System

The ImageSource® content management solution provides SMC employees with access to critical patient information to support their EHR solution. The use of superior technologies and an innovative approach reduces a seventeen step capture and image display process down to three user-friendly steps.

Since 1910, Swedish Medical Center (SMC) has been a leader in progressive healthcare in the Pacific Northwest. In 2004, the organization embarked upon one of the largest single initiatives in its history with the deployment of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) solution using Epic Systems. To support the day-forward enterprise migration to an electronic environment, SMC recognized that some information would not be generated through the EHR solution, but would be received from external sources. SMC has four medical-center campuses, a network of primary-care clinics, a home-care-services program and several specialty-care clinics. Portions of the medical records generated at these facilities had to be converted to an electronic format and integrated with the Epic system to provide access for its 7,000 employees. As one of the largest, most comprehensive, nonprofit health providers in the region, SMC needed a solution provider experienced in content management integration. “We selected ImageSource because they use very progressive, scalable technologies. Their knowledgeable professional services teams are expert in integrating line-of-business applications with existing technologies,” says Nancy Richards, CDIA, CRM, Swedish Medical Center, Clinical Information Systems, Document System Architect. “The implementation of the enterprise content management solution was just the beginning of a multi-phase approach. We were looking to optimize each step of our business processes over the next several years,” adds Richards. “ImageSource’s  commitment to their customers throughout the lifetime of a project—whether it be technical support, training, or ongoing system development—met the business needs we were looking for in a solution provider.”

Critical Need: Access Images in EHR System

In the process of custom designing their new EHR system, SMC contacted ImageSource with their content management requirements. The enterprise handled over 716,000 hard copy pages per month to support their medical records—records that had to adhere to the highest level of accuracy, timeliness, completeness and security. Furthermore, the process for handling the records had to ensure accordance with strict government regulations surrounding patient care.

"It’s very important to Swedish that the content management solution is user-friendly while providing comprehensive patient information from within Epic."

– Nancy L. Richards, CDIA, CRM, Swedish Medical Center, Clinical Information Systems, Document System Architect

Before the ImageSource implementation, patient charts and records were accessed, updated, copied, faxed and made available throughout SMC in paper format. Valuable time and resources were spent maintaining these records and ensuring they were accessible throughout the organization.

The following objectives were defined:
› Epic must be the point of access for patient information regardless of its source
› Seamless integration between Epic and the content management solution
› Reduce labor and resources utilized for routine business processes and enhance patient privacy efforts
› Increase employee processing efficiency through standard, user-friendly work processes that require minimal training
› Implement electronic content management infrastructure enterprise-wide, scalable across different line-of-business applications and future content initiatives

"It’s amazing how simple the process is for users, knowing the depth and breadth of functionality working behind the scenes."

– Nancy L. Richards, CDIA, CRM, Swedish Medical Center, Clinical Information Systems, Document System Architect

Core Content Management Solution Implemented in Less than Four Months
ImageSource designed, developed and implemented a content management solution utilizing Oracle|Stellent IPM/IBPM, Kofax Ascent Capture and ILINX technologies to solve the core content management needs. The solution, created by the professional services team, enables content to be captured, and the images presented, from within the EHR system. A custom ILINX component seamlessly integrates the Epic system with Ascent Capture and IBPM. The ILINX solution was developed by an ImageSource technical team that specializes in LOB integrations. It is solely owned by, and available through, ImageSource. The enterprise content management solution would scan, store, retrieve and provide a central repository for electronic documents created, received and captured by SMC. “It’s very important to Swedish that the content management solution is user-friendly while providing comprehensive patient information from within Epic,” said Richards. “In the medical environment, time and accuracy are critical to patient care. The new capture and retrieval of images allows us to take a process that would have taken over seventeen steps and reduce it to three user-friendly steps.”

Patient Registration Simplified
The first line-of-business application was developed for patient registration. When a patient arrives, the registration employee enters relevant information into the EHR system and then asks the patient for the appropriate cards and/or forms. The user simply places the cards/forms on their  Fujitsu scanner and clicks the scan button on the Epic screen. Without having to open another application, Ascent is automatically launched, with available metadata pre-populated. The index values associated with the images are sent directly from the Epic system to the content server. The automation greatly reduces the chance for error and minimizes the keystrokes required. At the completion of registration, the patient information and associated images are available to the appropriate personnel enterprise-wide.

Scalable for Future Technology Projects
With the combination of Epic’s EHR system and integrated content management solution implemented by ImageSource, SMC now has the technology infrastructure to support the superior healthcare services they are known for. “We’re thrilled with the results of the enterprise content management solution implemented by ImageSource. It definitely met our immediate need,” states Richards. “Just as important, it’s provided the infrastructure and scalability to support future electronic workflow and increased web-based service initiatives.”