Winneshiek Medical Center to spend $2.5 million to purchase Electronic Health Record software from Epic

The Winneshiek Medical Center Board of Trustees has unanimously approved spending $2.5 million on new Electronic Health Record software from Epic.

The new system will replace WMC's existing system, which was purchased in 2002.  Money to pay for the purchase will come from surplus operation revenue--because the hospital has been financially profitable this fiscal year, it will not have to borrow funds to pay for the software program.

The purchase culminates a process that began in September of last year when a team of staff members begin meeting to develop criteria for purchase software.  Three vendors made presentations to the hospital.  In the end, the team recommended WMC purchase the "University of Iowa Community Connect" program offered by Epic--at least in part because other health care providers in the area, including Gundersen Health System, Unity Point and the University of Iowa Hospitals, use the program.  Mayo Clinic Health Systems is also scheduled to begin using the program.

Electronic health records replace the paper versions of patient records that were used once upon a time.  They promote patient safety and quality care because doctors can consult a centralized record of a patient's medical history.  The Electronic Health Records are also used to help care providers qualify for reimbursements from insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid.