Nov. 12, 2019 – By now most everybody has heard of Epic, the system that Rady Children’s uses to access, organize, store and share electronic medical records. Since it was launched here in 2009, Epic has expanded to include multiple modules that have transformed the way clinicians provide care to our patients. Today, I met with the clinical information systems team, which supports and maintains existing Epic applications, provides education to users and comes together for “go-lives” when a new application is launched.

This visit began with some introductions, and then it was time for a very realistic game of “Jeopardy!” We were split up into five different groups inspired by our CARES model (Team Compassion, Team Accountability, Team Respect, Team Excellence and Team Service) and clued in on the categories (Rap That App, Name That App, CIS-tory, Grab Bag, Price is Right, and Then and Now). From there, the game began!  I was on Team Excellence and had the special privilege of being able to buzz in at any time to answer a question (with my bike horn).

There were some pretty tough questions, but I did buzz in on one: “Haiku and Canto, the names revealed to you — but can you name the difference between the two?” As a former clinician, I used both of these apps in the past. They allow secure access to clinic schedules, patient lists, health summaries and test results. Haiku works on your phone and Canto works on tablets. But after that correct answer, the questions got harder.

Between rounds, we took breaks to get to know the team members at each table, and each was asked to name their favorite sport or sports team. There were a few Yankees, Padres and Broncos fans in attendance; several disgruntled ex-Charger fans; and even a University of Mississippi football fan — but I was the only Florida Gators supporter in the bunch!

As we continued on with “Jeopardy!,” I learned many other interesting tidbits, such as the following:

• In FY19, our CIS team accomplished the highest level of the Epic honor roll grant: summa cum laude
• The CIS team has four members who served in the United States military
• Our old electronic medical record system, Meditech, was fully retired in 2018
• Rady Children’s won a CHiME award for being a Most Wired Hospital in 2018
• The Hospital has digitally sent 6.5 million medical records since going live with Epic
• The 46 members of the CIS team have 409 cumulative years of experience
• There are eight clinicians on the CIS team

I was also impressed with the wide variety of Epic modules we’ve implemented over the last 10 years that allow us to provide higher quality patient care, improve safety and reduce cost. During this visit, I learned more about the following:

• ClinDoc: Used to enter documentation into an inpatient’s chart
• ADT (now called Grand Central): Improves bed utilization and gives users the tools to manage Hospital stays
• ASAP: Helps manage emergency room visits by displaying bed status and which rooms are occupied
• Beaker: Used as the Hospital lab’s go-to software system
• Cadence: Schedules and tracks outpatient and specialty clinic appointments
• Rover: Allows clinicians to review and document a patient’s chart on the go
• MyChart: Allows patients and parents to view their medical records and interact with physicians online
• Tapestry: Helps automate key workflows and tasks associated with managed care
• Willow: Supports workflows and medication verification in the inpatient pharmacy

With another fantastic stamp in my (now full) passport, I headed off to my next meeting. The growth of this team really illustrates how Rady Children’s has developed from a community Hospital to a multifaceted health system, with the latest applications in place to improve how we deliver care, and, most importantly, enhance the relationships we have with our patients and families