Migrating Epic Systems to AWS: What Is It and Is It Right for My Business?

Many industries have benefited from adopting new technologies, and the field of healthcare is no exception. The healthcare industry has witnessed change and welcomed the adoption of advancements over time; from the evolution of medical records in the 1920s to electronic medical records in the 1960s and the signing of HITECH in 2009.¹

Today, health information technology is seeing incredible growth with automated administration, connected devices, an increased focus on customer satisfaction, and migration to the cloud.¹ While some organizations may be slower to adapt than others, by 2025, the healthcare information technology market will reach $441 billion.² This is a marked increase from 2019, when the market value was $163 billion. Healthcare organizations must get on board with these technological advancements to remain competitive.

The clinician-patient relationship is unique, as it is deeply personal, rooted in respect, and highly confidential. However, it also creates an opportunity for technology to sit at the table. After all, what clinician wouldn’t want to protect their patient relationship while simultaneously making tasks simpler and improving patient experience?

Here enters the opportunity to adopt the cloud. Adopting the cloud should no longer be viewed as a risk; it should be embraced and seen as a welcome change to help modernize organizations.

As of 2020, 81% of organizations had at least one application running in the cloud, and 93% of businesses had a multi-cloud strategy.³ Those numbers may seem intimidating for an organization early in the consideration process. Still, they are a testament that other organizations are experiencing the benefits.

Amazon Web Services for Healthcare

Amazon Web Services (AWS)™ is the cloud platform and services created by Amazon.com Inc. It is considered the front runner of cloud computing platforms.⁴ AWS hosts millions of customers from fast-growing startup companies to large enterprises and even some government agencies. Some names that might ring a bell include Intuit^®, Coca-Cola^®, Philips, Nationwide Children’s Hospital™, and Thermo Fisher Scientific™.⁵

So, what is AWS, exactly? The Amazon cloud provides an array of services like database storage, content delivery, and networking. Organizations could migrate virtually any workload to the cloud. Throughout that journey, your business can lean on the trusted experts at Amazon to ensure a successful implementation.

What Is Epic on AWS?

Epic Systems Corporation, or Epic, is a healthcare software company that acts as an electronic medical record system. It is the number one comprehensive software suite in KLAS Research. The software has been implemented across hospitals, rehab centers, independent practices, dental clinics, and similar organizations. Patients may recognize the term “MyChart,” powered by Epic, used to access their health information like appointments, medications, and medical bills all in one location.

Epic on AWS simply means that the Epic software your organization is currently utilizing is hosted on a cloud server owned by Amazon. It is backed by the secure Amazon infrastructure, has a robust suite of tools, and includes over 130 HIPAA-eligible services and certifications.⁶ Specifically, migrating Epic workloads to the cloud allows your organization to save time and refocus on improving patient care, quality, and outcomes.

Why Migrate to the AWS Cloud?

There are many benefits customers have seen by migrating to AWS. Some of the values include:

• Reducing operational costs, bringing services to market faster, and enabling more advanced technologies like AI and machine learning
• Seeing faster time to business results such as identifying top-down quantifiable goals and earning leadership support⁷

Specifically, organizations within the healthcare industry have much to gain from migrating Epic to AWS, including improving patient and caregiver experience⁸, cost reduction, and IT performance improvements¹. However, those aren’t the only reasons healthcare businesses are opting to migrate to the cloud. Consider the following:

• Modular/hybrid designs
• Increased performance and uptime
• Fast Epic releases for end-user innovation

Additionally, AWS reports that organizations who migrated to AWS from on-premise servers saw:

• 31% average infrastructure cost savings
• 62% more efficient IT infrastructure management
• 3x more features delivered per year⁹
• 69% reduction in unplanned downtime
• 43% fewer security incidents per year¹⁰

Is Migrating Epic to AWS Right for My Business?

At this point, your organization might be considering hosting your EHR system in the cloud. If migrating Epic to AWS is on your mind, you may consider the following high-level integration steps:

1. Develop a strategy
2. Identify goals
3. Select your cloud provider
4. Connect with an expert
5. Execute a successful migration¹¹

If you still aren’t sure this is the right move, watch this webinar from Adam Glasofer and Sam Coker, two AWS Healthcare employees, on implementing Epic in the cloud.

Keep in mind, when considering a move to the cloud in 2020, IDC reported that 39% of medium-to-large scale organizations lacked the skills required to rollout cloud strategies.

Tip: Work closely with a support team to avoid unnecessary hiccups.

Organizations of all sizes across all industries are choosing to transition to AWS. If migrating Epic to AWS makes sense for your company, connect with our experts. By partnering with an external consultant, your company or Epic migration team can receive expert industry knowledge, reduced AWS certification costs, and training support for your team. With the successful use cases companies are seeing by implementing cloud technology, why not take the next step?

For more information on Oxford’s Epic on AWS services, click here.

 

1. https://www.vertitechit.com/history-healthcare-technology/
2. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/healthcare-it-market
3. https://techjury.net/blog/how-many-companies-use-cloud-computing/#gref
4. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011316/what-amazon-web-services-and-why-it-so-successful.asp
5. https://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/
6. https://aws.amazon.com/health/
7. https://pages.awscloud.com/GLOBAL-ln-GC-500-8-Drivers-Migration-2021-learn.html
8. https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/why-hospitals-and-health-insurers-are-really-turning-cloud
9. IDC #US43535718 – Fostering Business and Organizational Transformation to Generate Business Value with Amazon Web Services; February 2018
10. Nucleus Research – Guidebook Understanding the Value of Migrating from On-premises to AWS for Application Security and Performance; June 2020
11. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/04/09/how-to-migrate-to-the-cloud-a-step-by-step-guide/