Why is Epic better than Cerner?

[MELY13]

So, I've been hearing about Epic a whole lot. What is the big deal when compared to Cerner? Is it really that much better for nursing documentation? What is your experience with these two systems? Which do you use and what do you absolutely love (or hate) about it? There's talk we're converting to Epic, so any details would be much appreciated

[Krissy,RN]

I've used both Epic and Cerner. Epic was a lot easier to learn and a lot easier to navigate through in my opinion. With Cerner I loved the task list though, everything you needed to chart on would be on one list so you wouldn't miss documenting something.

[rninformatics, DNP, RN]

Just a few suggestions for those of you still struggling with the user experience and your organization's current HIS (whether using it for documentation, results reporting, bar code medication administration, etc) perhaps some of the issue is your competency with the application? Consider contacting the staff development, education or IT/IS department and requesting additional training on the applications that you are having trouble with.

If the issues are system/network responsiveness/related, have you followed the appropriate channels and consistently reported the issues? No one knows there is a problem if you dont report it. And dont tell me you reported it once and expect it to be fixed. If you give up then the problem will never be fixed. And yes I know you are busy. I know you are clinically being asked to do more with less. Who said nursing was an easy gig? When I originally started practicing nursing we on the oncology unit were expected to adminster all personal care, empty the garbage in our patients' rooms, change linen, make beds, round with the doctors, assist with all bedside procedures, draw all labs, start are own IVs, mix our own chemo (that's right!) and piggy backs, and more so dont tell me about how busy you are - I know and that is the nature of the beast!

Does the hardware you are using (laptop, notebook, scanners, etc) need to be replaced? Are you caring for the hardward properly, plugging the WOWs (workstations on wheels) in when needed? Just as there is more than knowing anatomy & physiciology to successfully start and maintain a patent IV site and safely administer chemotherapyy without exstravisation there is more to using clinical information systems technologies.

Additionally who of you has volunteered to be involved in the implementation, training, testing, evaluation and or redesign groups formed or forming at your organizations to address these issues? Who of you tossing out so casually the "it's not user friendly" statement without actually being super-users who volunteer to proactively help improve the problems?

I've been a practicing RN for 25 years and working in HIS/HIT for 15 and there is no perfect system but my hat is off to all those clinicians (CNAs, USs, nurses, lab techs, MDs, pharmacisits, rad techs, therapists, dieticians, etc) who also work in HIS/HIT or volunteer as super users, systems testers; or work in research and development, as educators, specialists and trainers) to improve these systems, the users' experiences and make this specialty better.

Getting off my soap box now.........

[mydesygn]

Very well said. I will add my other two favorites:

"Nobody helped us learn how to use this or asked us about it" - to which I reply, the staff assigned to be superusers never showed up for training or if they did it was inconsistent. In addition, your manager either devoted no resources to help in training and building or she provided individuals who had no interest or desire to do what was being asked. And before you say nursing was not consulted - maybe you need to speak with your managers / directors - Nursing is always consulted. Your managers / directors are your voices.

"This is not user-friendly" - really - this is not an Apple Iphone. All your telephone has to do is text, make calls and email. This is designed for professionals to capture and compile specific vast and complex information, it must bill, meet federal requirements, etc.. You did not learn how to become a nurse in a day. You had classroom training, orientation and mentors. You devoted your time to learning. I agree that items could be streamlined or changed however you will still need to make the time and work together with your educators to develop appropriate training. Be part of the process.

[seanynjboy, BSN]

EPIC rules and Cerner drools! Epic is way more user friendly in my opinion than Cerner but each HIS has their own merits. I am doing IT support for Cerner right now for the Barcode Admin go-live and I came from an EPIC hospital (as did a lot of these nurses I am working - 3 hospitals here are on EPIC) and a lot of them say "I miss EPIC" or "EPIC does it this way". Most of them are not Cerner fans...

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

No experience with epic (yet). Cerner (powerchart, firstnet & iview) is a clunky product that is not intuitive for charting. I notice a significant number of nurses who simply type out a narrative note rather because they get frustrated trying "to find a box to click". While this might be a training or personal issue, it remains an issue for reviewing.