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EMR vendors are actively launching their app stores and ecosystems. Epic has officially launched Showroom, its new third-party vendor program, to connect health tech companies with health systems and providers. Similarly, Oracle established the Code Developer Program, although it no longer accepts new applications. Below are the three key themes in the EMR marketplace.
Healthcare Resources
Epic offers Supply Shop, which includes Epic support resources and staffing to assist in implementing new features. This feature allows providers to access fractional assistance for short-term needs and full-time staff augmentation for IT teams working on larger projects. The Emeritus program connects organizations with retired healthcare executives to help fill interim leadership roles.
Robert Slepin, CIO & IT VP Emerti said “Epic’s Emeritus program is a great way for its customers to easily access a distinguished group of former CIOs, CMIOs, clinicians and other leaders to provide on-demand strategic advisory services, fill interim senior leadership roles, mentor new leaders and support go-lives and other critical project activities.”
Oracle clients continue to depend on third-party resources or receive direct support from Oracle Health. Some organizations choose to outsource their EMR support directly to Oracle Health. Oracle Health highlights that their resources can rapidly implement many of the ideas presented by their clients, and they also offer innovative ideas and processes that healthcare organizations may not have considered, given their in-depth understanding of the products and their capabilities.
EMR Centric Partner Ecosystem
Epic showcased The Health Grid feature, which enables providers to connect with the broader healthcare ecosystem, including payers, specialty diagnostic labs, and national telehealth networks.
Healthcare organizations can partner with health plans to share data, alleviate administrative burdens, and expedite patient access to care. They can collaborate with health plans to streamline administrative tasks and facilitate quicker patient access to care. Diagnostic labs, encompassing genetic tests and specialty diagnostic tests, will efficiently simplify the order placement process for providers within Epic. The results of these tests will smoothly integrate into Epic workflows, thereby elevating the quality of their care programs.
In Oracle's PartnerNetwork (OPN), partners experience a streamlined journey with Oracle. OPN members have access to a range of offerings designed to assist them in achieving Oracle Expertise, thus enhancing customer trust and relevancy while enabling business growth across various industries and lines of business. OPN allows partners to select their engagement approach with Oracle, tailoring it to align with their unique business strategies. It's worth noting that Oracle also offers a dedicated vertical track explicitly designed for the healthcare industry.
Third-Party Products
Epic shares its product marketplace into three themes: the connection hub, toolbox, and workshop. The connection hub displays third-party products with a live connection to at least one Epic site. The toolbox emphasizes products that adhere to Epic's recommended practices for integration into its EMR, and the workshop features collaborations between third-party companies and Epic developers in creating new technology.
Oracle encourages third-party companies to utilize its public FHIR APIs, the Code Console application management tool, and resources for building, registering, testing, and deploying their integrations. Epic also provides a similar tool within its Open.Epic application programming interface for developers and its vendor services offer additional testing tools.
CIO Thoughts
The marketplace serves as a valuable starting point for healthcare decision-makers, providing a single location to identify solutions that can integrate with their core EMR system. Healthcare CIOs have encountered challenges in achieving seamless integration that streamlines workflow when searching for third-party solutions.
Jake Dorst, Chief Information and Innovation Officer at Tahoe Forest Hospital District agreed, "I was very excited to see the new Epic EHR Showroom, a virtual space showcasing third-party apps and services compatible with the Epic electronic health records (EHR) system." Jake is also cautious about vendor lock-in and said, "Relying solely on Epic-approved vendors could create dependence on their ecosystem, making it more difficult and costly to switch to other EHR systems in the future.
Ellen Dowling Wiegand, Chief Information Officer at VCU Health, supports Epic Showroom, said, "There will always be a need for third-party vendors, and integrating these products with Epic is critical to adoption. Showroom is a great resource for identifying vendors who've already integrated with or are partnering with Epic on more substantial development efforts. It is a starting point. Not being in Showroom does not disqualify a vendor, but it will be a factor in system selections. Equally important, Showroom gives third-party vendors a pathway to working with Epic and connecting with Epic customers. My hope is this encourages innovation and creates value for all of us."
In conclusion, the EMR marketplace provides convenient, pre-vetted solutions and streamlined integration. However, it is crucial to recognize the potential limitations and not to rely solely on the EMR vendor for your app and service needs. Always conduct thorough research and explore alternative options before making a decision.
