UTHealthCONNECT News

After years of anticipation and hard work, the moment has finally arrived – Epic is here.

Beginning Monday, March 8, and continuing through April, training will be in full swing.

Managers have registered those staff members who will use the EHR.

If you have questions about our training program, please email EpicTraining@uth.tmc.edu.

Complete pre-class e-learning Pre-class e-learning courses include essential foundational information. Complete your Pre-Class e-learning now via a UTHealth Network or using VPN to open the videos.

1. Navigate to https://go.uth.edu/learn
2. Select My Dashboard
3. Select Learning Plans
4. Select the name of the learning plan. It begins with "EPIC_"
5. Select the blue play button to launch the video 6. Repeat as necessary

Confirm you have access to the ACE1 training location before class. The computer you train on must be on the UTHealth network or connected via VPN. Refer to the university’s working remotely guide to assist with this setup.

1. Log into a computer with your UTHealth credentials
2. Select Citrix Workspace on the desktop (Don't see the Citrix workspace? Try the Web Citrix Version.)
3. In the top-right search box, enter 'ace'
4. Select the ACE1 Hyperspace icon
5. Log in with these credentials:
   • User Name: acetest
   • Password: Epic
6. Review the information on the dashboard
7. In the top right, select Log Out

If you need help, please contact the IT Solution Center (formerly the Help Desk) at 713-486-4848.

Go-live is among the most complex parts of an implementation of this magnitude. The logistics are massive and include communication, training, command center planning, hardware deployment, resource allocation, contingency planning, real-time support, roles, and responsibilities.

One of the ways we’ll advance our readiness is through a series of half-day sessions called Go-Live Readiness Assessment meetings. During the meetings, participants will review our operational and technical readiness for each installation area, including project risks, concerns, and resolution plans.

Operational leaders, in partnership with project team members, will present updates and lead a review of go-live readiness with subject matter experts in these areas:

UTHealth HCPC Clinical

Integrated Areas (UTHealth HCPC/UT Physicians)

Revenue Cycle and Patient Access (UTHealth HCPC/UT Physicians)

UT Physicians Clinical

Our first of three Go-Live Readiness Assessment (GLRA) meetings will occur on Friday, Feb. 12, about 90 days before go-live. For those who are participating, thank you!

Stay tuned for more go-live updates in these newsletters, from university leadership, and of course, via the UTHealthCONNECT intranet site.

As is the case with most new things, our Epic EHR will require a climb of the “learning curve,” but all of us, including our patients, will benefit greatly. Our Epic patient portal, MyUTHealth, will also go live on May 8. The portal allows patients to personally manage many of the tasks commonly completed by clinic staff and others. It’s very simple to use and allows patients to securely message their care team, view lab results, schedule an appointment, pay a bill, request prescription refills, and more. The marketing workgroup has gathered data from a number of sources to determine the most effective ways to prompt patients to enroll in a patient portal. One way the team collected input was through a survey of our clinical staff to ensure their views were factored into our planning. Many thanks to more than 800 respondents who shared their input! The survey findings validate several others that reveal patient enrollment in the online portal is a team effort. You’ll learn more about it, and you’ll see many of the survey suggestions in practice during user training, beginning in March.

In preparation for our EHR go-live, considerable time and effort have gone into planning, procuring, labeling, and placing devices (e.g., workstations, printers, scanners, phones).

Already underway and continuing through April, End Users Devices team members will conduct an activity known as Technical Dress Rehearsals (TDR) to test every workstation, printer, scanner, etc., to ensure its readiness for go-live.

For Revenue Cycle Management, given the current circumstances where some users are remote whereas others are on-site, the End Users Devices team has adopted a two-phase approach to effectively address the needs of Revenue Cycle Management along with other departments with similar needs:

• In-person TDR – testers will be on-site sometime between Jan. 11-29 to execute the TDR and validate that all workstations and applicable peripherals are functional and meet the Epic specs.
• Remote TDR – remote users will be given simple instructions on how to execute TDR remotely over the course of a four-week period (February 2021) and log their results on a portal.

The test will entail verification of system access since printing and scanning are out of scope for these users. The TDR has been planned carefully to limit disruptions to users’ routine work. Please extend patience and flexibility while technicians are present, and do not remove labels, unplug, or move any devices to ensure they will operate properly at go-live.

In March, we’ll roll out Epic training to all system users. With that in mind, we’re soliciting your input on available training space for each clinic address to host your team’s training. 

As part of preparation for the go live of Epic in May 2021, IT needs to complete a technical dress rehearsal or “TDR” on all of the clinical and administrative computers in your area.

Super Users (SU) are vital to our overall program success. Super Users are liaisons among users, department leaders, and the project team. The SU will serve as a source of support to their peers during training, the go-live period, and beyond. They will also provide at-the-elbow support during go-live within the clinics and departments.

During the pandemic, we have seen the pivotal role digital communications play in streamlining interaction between our health care teams and patients. As part of the Epic transition, we will migrate from Follow My Health via Allscripts to MyChart through Epic in May 2021.