Medical electronic records, also referred to as electronic medical records (EMRs) or electronic health records, have become an integral part of a physician’s practice and essential healthcare delivery.
An electronic health record is a digital version of the traditional paper chart and a real-time health maintenance system that manages a patient’s longitudinal health and a communication system that enables the secure transmission of health information.
We will discuss the two leading EHR vendors Cerner vs Epic. Your practice will benefit from an unbiased comparison in choosing the best EHR software.
Cerner vs. Epic
Each substantial EHR system offers unique functionalities. A percentage of Cerner’s business comes from hospitals with 10 to 25 beds and Small Practices.
However, Epic has a challenging time reaching out to small medical practices as well. Let’s dive into the differences between these EHRs.
The interoperability of systems
To exchange and use information, EHR systems need to integrate with other systems and software.
-
Cerner
Achieving interoperability between Cerner EHR and other healthcare IT systems is a feature built into the system.
Integration with external systems can be accomplished through three platforms at Cerner. The data can be accessed for operational, financial, or clinical purposes.
As EHR solutions struggle to integrate with third-party providers, they find that their application program interfaces are limited.
The Cerner longitudinal patient record provides clients with a clear, streamlined overview of clinical records from multiple sources to make the best practice decisions and improve patient outcomes.
Cerner also aims to develop and deploy interoperability solutions by forming the CommonWell Health Alliance, a non-profit and independent organization.
Keeping track of pharmacy and clinical transactions is made easier by the Cerner Interoperability Ticker, a feature on their website that tracks health data exchange and pharmacy transactions.
The Cerner company endeavors to make health data exchanges secure and free for years by improving initiatives that help the industry reach a common language.
-
Epic
The Epic Systems company has become famous as one of the first health record providers, and now providers support some of the world’s biggest health systems.
In comparison to its competitors, Epic EHR’s lack of integrations has been criticized. Epic has avoided working with alliances such as CommonWell Health Alliance that purport to promote interoperability as an industry leader. Despite efforts to improve the EHR provider in this area.
The Direct protocol allows Epic to connect with other EHRs, so it is better than Cerner when it comes to the connectivity of such software.
The Happy Together feature is also available on Epic. A portal view that includes data from multiple sources allows providers and patients to access it in a centralized, merged manner.
It further assists healthcare organizations in searching information across the health systems, duplicate lab order checking, direct messaging, scheduling, and recovering reference-quality images while working as a single unit.
Comparison of functionalities
Both EHR software companies easily automate daily operations to streamline workflows by using similar systems. These services, along with analytics, are similar to Revenue Cycle Management (RCM).
Both Cerner and Epic offer Cloud-based healthcare solutions. Both vendors provide support and implementation services.
Comparison of prices
Implementation, maintenance, and hardware update costs are all included in the price of the software. EHRs can be very costly. It is important to keep this in mind.
Both vendors are unable to provide a price quote, but upon request, they can do so. Prices will be kept confidential. However, Epic will be slightly more expensive than Cerner, despite proper implementation planning.
What is the best one for your business needs?
Depending on these factors, the size and cost of your practice are completely different. Small hospitals or private practices with financial constraints that need an EHR should strongly consider Cerner.
While Epic may be the best choice for hospitals with a large staff and wealthy purchasers, it appears quite suitable for those.
Cerner is a better option if you need greater interoperability, better population health management features, and access to 24/7 support.
You should consider Epic if you want an intuitive interface, which is crucial for automating your daily tasks.
