After nearly a year of preparation, Harnett Health will be fully switched to a new Electronic Medial Records system on Saturday Oct. 1. The new Epic EMR system is expected to benefit not just the health system, but also patients. 

The implementation of the new software is another step in combining Harnett Health with Cape Fear Valley Health, after the two joined together in 2021.

Cape Fear Valley Health has been using Epic and it’s additional software, the patient portal MyChart, for three years. After going live on Saturday, Epic online will be used in Betsy Johnson Hospital, Central Harnett Hospital, and the hospitals’ outpatient clinics. 

Harnett Health’s physician clinics began using Epic in December 2021, and getting Harnett’s hospitals online with Epic is the last step of fully integrating the EMR software throughout the health system.

“A lot of our clinic patients have already discovered the convenience and functionality of MyChart, and having all the same records across the entire health system with Epic is a win for patients and providers,” said Harnett Health President Cory Hess in a press release.

Currently, about 300 million patients have a current electronic record in Epic, and Organizations using Epic can seamlessly interoperate, meaning they can easily exchange patient data, which closes treatment gaps and reduces duplication of services.

The software platform’s key feature is its ability to maintain just one electronic medical record per patient, versus several, which allows providers to track a patient’s healthcare over time along with other benefits. 

Patients will also benefit from the software switch because of Epic’s  MyChart feature, the free online patient portal that will allow users to view test results, update information, communicate with providers, and manage their appointments and prescription renewals with a single password.

Harnett Health patients are encouraged to sign up for a free MyChart account as soon as possible, and can do so online here: www.myharnetthealth.org/mychart.