By Craig Norquist, MD, chief medical information officer

Epic upgrade

As most of you know, Epic releases upgrades four times per year, but we intentionally implement upgrades twice annually. This allows us to evaluate new functionality and reduce the risk of unforeseen issues before changes enter our environment. Most upgrades occur with minimal disruption and provide security enhancements, new features and workflow improvements. Recent examples include AI note summarization tools and updates to ordering tabs, which have been well received.

When upgrade features are optional, we carefully evaluate whether they’ll benefit our users and may choose not to implement them. However, some changes are required by Epic and cannot be deferred. In those cases, we do our best to educate users on possible workflow changes and ease the transition as much as possible.

Recent upgrade challenges

Several changes included in the most recent upgrade were not as well accepted by our users as they appear to have been at other organizations. While some have been relatively minor, others have had a more significant impact on workflow.

• AI echocardiogram tools: Some AI summarization tools intended to make echocardiogram interpretation easier were not as well-received as anticipated.
• Medication reconciliation: The most significant challenge has been the change to the acute care discharge medication reconciliation workflow. The entire workflow view changed, making it less intuitive to determine whether a medication was being continued.

Our response and next steps

• Issued an SBAR to physicians, APPs and nurses to raise awareness and provide clarity on ways to work together to minimize the impact of the change as users become more comfortable with the updated workflow.
• Met with Epic and hospitalist leadership to explore options for reverting the medication reconciliation changes. They confirmed that the previous interface cannot be restored and that the new workflow will remain in place.
• Continuing to work directly with users to help them adapt to the changes and improve the process wherever possible.

AI use and the environment

As HonorHealth continues to evaluate and deploy AI-enabled tools such as ambient documentation, our approach remains focused on improving clinical efficiency while maintaining the highest standards of patient care.

• Clinician oversight: Physicians and APPs remain accountable for reviewing, editing and finalizing all documentation to ensure accuracy and clinical integrity. AI is intended to augment — not replace — clinical judgment, communication or the patient-provider relationship.
• Administrative relief: Current evidence and early operational experience suggest that AI-supported documentation can reduce administrative burden and enable more direct patient engagement.
• Environmental responsibility: Responsible AI adoption extends beyond clinical workflows. Environmental impact and resource utilization are being considered as part of ongoing system-level evaluations to ensure AI implementation aligns with HonorHealth’s values and community responsibilities.

SmartUser and physician builder programs

We’re working to increase the number of physicians and APPs who become Epic SmartUsers or physician builders. By completing these certification courses, you can improve your efficiency and serve as a resource for colleagues. Certified participants will also receive early access to new tools to support safe and constructive implementation.

To enroll:

• Type “efficiency” into the Epic search bar
• Log into the Epic UserWeb training page and search for available courses
• Reach out to an informaticist or me directly for registration assistance

AI tools in Epic

With the recent Epic upgrade, many AI tools are now available to all users. These tools were carefully vetted and are intended to help optimize the time you spend caring for patients.

We expect ongoing improvements and your feedback is essential. Most features include a thumbs up/down option with space for comments. This is the easiest way to report issues or share input, and all feedback is regularly reviewed.

What’s new:

• Improved In Basket prioritization and filtering
• AI-assisted draft responses for patient messages
• Faster chart navigation, summaries and search
• Smarter dashboards and tools for data use
• SideKick AI tools for Slicer Dicer data

Ambient documentation updates

Important reminder: Patient consent

• Always inform patients when recording and obtain consent each time (especially for new patients).
• Framing matters. Patients are often more receptive when you explain the benefit (e.g., helping you focus on them while the tool captures notes).

This is critical, as there are ongoing legal cases related to lack of proper consent

Adoption and access

• We’re monitoring usage to ensure licenses are actively used.
• There are currently around 200 more clinicians interested in access.
• Future expansion will depend on demonstrated value and need.

UpToDate AI

UpToDate AI is available to all HonorHealth users. You must sign in to get access to the tool. Single sign-on (SSO) is nearing implementation, which will allow users to obtain CME credit while accessing AI features.

What to keep in mind:

• As with any generative AI tool, verify outputs and review sources
• More specific prompts will lead to better results
• We look forward to your feedback as you begin using this tool.

Happening now: EHR Experience Survey (KLAS Arch Collaborative)

Our annual EHR Experience Survey is open through Tuesday, June 30. To respect your time, we removed redundant questions covered in other organizational surveys, such as the Culture of Safety or Physician and APP Engagement surveys.

This confidential, 10-to-15-minute survey is your opportunity to share what matters most in your technology experience and help shape future updates tailored to your workflow. The creation of the physician engagement informaticist role is one example of prior survey feedback in action.

Take the survey