Epic Radiant Go-Live

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Tips, Tricks, and Lessons Learned

Presented by: Angi Cessna, RDMS, RT(R)

Introduction

� Angi Cessna, Epic certified since beginning of

2007

� Involved in over 20 implementations

� Large 300+ bed facilities

� Critical Access Hospitals

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� Critical Access Hospitals

� Ambulatory HOD radiant departments

� Ambulatory only radiant departments

What you can take away from today’s talk

� Better understanding of the approaches to taking Epic

Radiant software

� Big Bang and After-the-Fact

� You will understand if this process will it be easy or

difficult?

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� Share lessons learned from different implementations

� Enhancements – Can we do this easily?

� Importance of staying engaged with other teams

� Surprises you may want to avoid

Why Radiant?

� Rules-based scheduling

� Documentation

� Results communication

� Chart/film tracking

� Detailed statistical reporting

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� Detailed statistical reporting

� Unified system that is fully integrated with Epic clinical

systems

Could it be that simple?

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Big Bang – 1st Approach

Learning a new

system

Streamlined care

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Big Bang Go Live

(all Epic products together)

system together

Adding Radiant later – 2nd Approach

1• Other products are now live

2• Implement Radiant after the fact

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2

3• Is this good or bad?

Adding Radiant later – contd.

Cons

� Difficult adjustment

� Training

� Testing

Pros

� Easier Go-Lives

� Familiarity

� One system

� Reduced cost

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� Reduced cost

Enhance – 3rd Approach

Transportation Workflows

Minimal Functionality –

Initial Install

Enhancement

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Workflow is RIS-centric

More Robust Scheduling

Enhancement

Some Recommendations

� Try to keep on a concise schedule:

� Use standard reports and work lists

� Use experienced analysts/builders

� You can keep costs down

� Users ownership in optimization process

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� Users ownership in optimization process

� Integrated Rads vs. non-integrated Rads – support is

important

� Where can you help – support schedulers?

Heartburn

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Some things to look out for

� 3rd party billing files if needed

� PACS driven vs RIS driven

� Interfaced results across time zones

� Security changes to existing users

� Radiologists’ support

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� Radiologists’ support

Keep Engaged with Special Teams

� Team that manage shared Masterfiles

� Security

� Change Control

� User records (SERs and EMPs)

� ICD-10 Team

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� ICD-10 Team

� Meaningful Use Team

� Data Courier Team

Wow!

� DICOM – (lack of) testing concerns

� Where is the test box? TST or PRD only?

� Users security – inadvertent changes at go-live

� Results – coming from Epic RIS, vs. outside radiology

systems

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systems

� Interfaces - test in appropriate environments

What do we do now?

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Planning for the future

Enhancement Optimization Upgrade

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Questions?

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For moving data, we use Data Courier. Do you

think it’s best to have all members of team move

data, or just a set of users within the team?

� A subset of users is best, so they can be experts in the

manipulation of data, keeping up on any Data Courier

changes that comes with upgrades, etc.

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changes that comes with upgrades, etc.

For supporting a go-live, do you like to use

analysts as hands-on Floor Support, or do you

prefer to use Superusers?

� Analysts are best utilized in the command center. Floor

support should be superusers so they can build that

report with the regular users, which will mean a better

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long-term support and success

Have you ever ‘let’ non-Radiologists read in Epic,

like Cardiologists, or mid-levels that read stress

exams, etc? How did you manage support of

these reading docs?

� Yes, they just need Radiant reading security. They need

appropriate training, either reading from a Reading

Worklist or via the InBasket. You can train any support

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Worklist or via the InBasket. You can train any support

staff, usually their preference, to be able to support

them, but I usually see it’s their staff, not Rad staff.

Do you import new EAPS and SERs (procedure

master file and provider master files) or manually

build them? Which is best?

� I recommend importing the data. It’s easier to document

the changes with the import spreadsheet used. It’s less

easy to make build mistakes too. You can even have

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easy to make build mistakes too. You can even have

multiple teams enter data on a central import

spreadsheet, then have a daily import time, so all date

can go in at once, and not at various times of day.

Do you recommend a one-to-one Visit Type-to-

Procedure build?

� Yes I do. This way, you can specify where the exam is

scheduled, specific day and time restrictions, as well as

specific patient and scheduler instructions.

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How long should we staff our command center?

� For a Big Bang, anywhere from 2-3 weeks may be

needed, using 24 hr shifts the for at least the first week.

� For adding Radiant after-the-fact, usually a 1-2 week

mini command center is needed, maybe only staffed 6a-

7p, with on-call availability. You will also need adequate

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7p, with on-call availability. You will also need adequate

Super-user Floor Support after hours.

Disclaimer

� This presentation is intended to give you a general

overview of Radiant implementation processes as

experienced by Greythorn contracted employees.

� For a more tailored and confidential discussion on how

this will affect your business or your own career, please

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this will affect your business or your own career, please

get in touch with us.

� Greythorn will not be reliable for any damages of any

kind arising out of or relating to the use of this

information.