EPIC - Clinical Information System

Background:

The Epic Project involves the replacement of the existing clinical applications in IPR and INFORMM with an enterprise-wide application developed by Epic. This includes all hospital departments and specialties, giving end users the tools necessary to deliver safe, high-quality care, connected to a single patient medical record. Epic’s enterprise solution supports documentation and CPOE, making it easy for users to place orders at the point of care and minimizing the administrative workload associated with care documentation. At every point in the care process, the clinical decision support system works to protect patient safety and encourage compliance with UIHC organizational best practices.

Moving Forward:

Epic Clinical Information Systems went live housewide (UIHC) in May 2009; we continue to integrate other services and enhancement. UIHC desires to operate as an integrated service delivery organization. This requires a system that will provide a single view of each patient cared for by UIHC, with mechanisms to assure appropriate security and confidentiality of patient information. UIHC believes that implementing an integrated clinical solution across all programs will improve the quality of services delivered, improve the quality of care provided and improve operating efficiencies.

The Epic Project is the delivery of a fully functional, comprehensive and integrated Clinical Information System that meets the complex clinical needs of UIHC across the continuum of care.

Laboratory Information System (LIS)

Background:

In 2007, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) Pathology Department decided to replace its current Laboratory Information System – Cerner – with a more robust, streamlined, state-of-the-art system, which incorporates the UIHC patient safety and quality standards. A request for proposal was sent to numerous vendors. After receiving responses from 10 data providers and countless hours of due diligence, the UIHC Pathology Department selected Soft Computer Corporation (SCC) as its vendor of choice. The SCC system offers flexibility and feature-rich functionality unmatched in the industry. Their system already exceeds the standards currently accepted by the healthcare industry, and it will enable UIHC to adapt to future standards with little effort.

Moving Forward:

The project officially kicked off in June 2009. This project will go through numerous phases, and is scheduled to go live in February 2011. While analyzing, building, and implementing the SCC solution, the UIHC Pathology Department will also review its current processes and workflows to determine where it can take advantage of process efficiencies. With a long road ahead for the project team, we’re excited to move forward with this exciting opportunity and achieving the aggressive goals outlined within the project charter.” Improving the productivity and profitability of the Pathology department as well as implementing a system that would exceed patient safety measures, provide quality data, and implement state-of-the art technology.

Employee Labor Management System (ELMS)

Background:

The ELMS project involves the replacement of a myriad of manual, Excel Spreadsheet, Access Data Base and INFORMM based mainframe applications used to schedule staff and process time worked for payroll. To support this effort the organization has purchased a series of software applications from API Healthcare. The application is referred to as LaborWorkx®. Included in this application are the ActiveStaffer® module for staff scheduling and the PayrollMation® module for staff time and attendance. These applications will be used to schedule and manage our workforce resources more effectively. Additionally, the staff experience will be improved through online tools to support; detailed information regarding staff payroll calculations in real time, shift trades, time off requests and self scheduling of work time. These applications will also support disaster response by giving response teams a better idea of who is on site and working at any given time.

Moving Forward:

The contract was finalized with API in the fall of 2008 and the project was kicked off shortly after that. Work is currently underway to finalize system set up for scheduling and pay policies being used across the organization. These applications will be piloted within several departments beginning in September 2009. Other departments will follow shortly there after with overall project completion for all departments in 2010.

HCIS Data Center

Background:

A data center or datacenter (or datacentre), also called a server farm is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems. It generally includes redundant or backup power supplies, redundant data communications connections, environmental controls (e.g., air conditioning, fire suppression) and security devices. The University of Iowa Health Care is is supported by 2 major data centers, multiple smaller telecommunications rooms and ancillary equipment rooms that are located throughout the institution.

From a power perspective the two data centers which are located in GH and PFP are sporting 1243 KVA of UPS power to hold the equipment through an electrical outage until the paralleled generators are started up and ready to accept the entire electrical load needed to keep the data centers running.  There are 4.5 MegaWatts of generators standing by to accept the challenge of this mission critical load at UIHC.

In the event of a fire, UIHC Data Centers are protected by an Inergen Gas Fire Suppression System that reduces the amount of oxygen in the room to the point that a human can breathe but a fire cannot.  This is accomplished by a network of smoke detectors that when alarmed in a series can release the gas and eliminate the threat of catastrophe by fire.  This is also backed by a dual action dry pipe water system ready to rain in the event the heads are melted off and system enabled through the same series of smoke alarms. At the foundation of all this critical equipment is the floor it sits on.  UIHC has over 12685 square ft. of raised floor space that make up these complex data centers with more to come in the near future.

Moving Forward:

UIHC has teamed up with the University of Iowa’s Information Technology Systems (ITS) to build a Tier III offsite data center the will be high availability, fault tolerant, and F3 tornado proof.  This stand alone facility will house 2 data halls that will be 7000 square ft. each.  The 7000 square ft. of raised floor space allocated to UIHC will be a migration point from the overcapacity and aging GH data center.  The new facility will be located at the University of Iowa’s Oakdale campus which provides a nice buffer zone between the other UIHC data centers   This separation will protect the UIHC data during the event of a disaster at either campus.  The facility is marked to start construction in 2010.

Wireless Network Upgrade

Background:

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics 802.11 wireless network was initially implemented in the fall of 2004 and currently provides service to over 2.5 million square feet of coverage area. The wireless network implementation was targeted at that time for the use of Computers On Wheels (COW’s) and wireless printers used for patient care. Over time other incremental services have been added to support additional applications and needs such as wireless capable pumps and ‘guest’ internet access for patients and family members (GuestNet). Since that initial implementation the range of potential services, best practices, and technologic capabilities of wireless networking has continued to steadily grow and evolve. As a result of this HCIS began a wireless network review in the spring of 2008 to identify architectural changes needed in order to position the institution to take advantage of current and emerging wireless technologies. The need was identified to increase the density of Access Points and also to move to a controller based architecture (LWAPP) in order to put in place a technologically current foundation that would be needed for the future.

Moving Forward:

In the fall of 2008 HCIS purchased and installed two Wifi core routers containing controllers that would become the highly available anchor of the upgraded wireless network. Once the “Wifi Cores” were installed a pilot was implemented with the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) to implement the Access Point (AP) conversion process to LWAPP and for client device testing and validation. Upon successful pilot completion the Boyd Tower, General Hospital, and MRF building wireless networks were upgraded late in the fall of 2008. In the early spring of 2009 PFP and PFP-West wireless networks were upgraded. Since that time efforts have been underway to identify and resolve remaining conversion issues with an estimated upgrade completion of the inpatient and remaining clinical areas in August 2009. In parallel to this conversion process the project to increase AP density has also been under way. As of July 2009 all inpatient areas have been completed. This project is still in process at this time and is currently targeting clinical areas. The completion of the LWAPP conversion itself will immediately enable capabilities such as seamless client roaming throughout the hospital complex, increased network resiliancy and recovery in the event of an Access Point failure, dynamic channel management, and wireless GuestNet access throughout the institution. The completion of the increase in AP density in conjunction with the LWAPP conversion will position the wireless network to be able to support technologies such as RFID and VoIP on the 802.11 wireless network.