10/16/2024 | An Epic First for Ohio: OhioMHAS Regional Psychiatric Hospitals Become First State-Run Hospital System in U.S. to Implement Epic Electronic Health Record

For Immediate Release:
October 16, 2024

An Epic First for Ohio: OhioMHAS Regional Psychiatric Hospitals Become First State-Run Hospital System in U.S.
to Implement Epic Electronic Health Record

(COLUMBUS, OH) - The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is making an "epic" leap in patient-centered care with the launch of a new electronic health record (EHR) system at Ohio's six regional psychiatric hospitals. OhioMHAS leaders have successfully migrated Ohio's psychiatric hospital records to Epic Systems.

"Under the leadership of Governor Mike DeWine, providing world-class mental health care is the top priority. At OhioMHAS, we are working every day to innovate and streamline the way we do business," said Department Director LeeAnne Cornyn. "We are excited to lead the nation in enhancing patient care in state psychiatric hospitals. This state-of-the-art system will allow our staff to work more efficiently and communicate more effectively, so we can achieve our ultimate goal of putting our patients at the center of care."

OhioMHAS previously used a dated system that relied on a combination of mainframe and paper tools to document patient treatment and communicate clinical and billing information.

The new software will enhance care by allowing providers to access a patient's health history in one convenient, digital location. The new system will improve patient safety and coordination of care from admission to discharge and will elevate quality and consistency across all six hospitals. Epic will also allow clinicians to communicate better with referral sources. Additionally, the new system will improve discharge planning, making sure patients are not only referred to, but connected with ongoing care when they leave a state hospital.

Discharged patients, including those linked to a CSN (Community Support Network), will have secure, 24/7 online access to their records through MyChart. With MyChart, clients can view their health information and will be able to view appointments, get test results, refill prescriptions, and communicate with their care team.

In preparation for the transition, the OhioMHAS Office of Hospital Services developed more than two dozen workgroups over the past year to collaborate and make decisions related to the design, content, workflow, functionality, and usability of the Epic foundation system. Hospital employees were then trained on use of the system over the past several months.

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