Process for Creating Epic CareLink User Accounts
The Challenge
Epic CareLink is a web-based portal that gives community healthcare providers access to Epic, one of the most widely used electronic health record (EHR) systems in the U.S. It allows providers outside the primary care network to view patient charts, access test results, and manage patient referrals. Hospitals and clinics that use the Epic EHR system often need to share patient data with external providers such as referring physicians, long-term care facilities, and visiting specialists. Epic CareLink offers these external providers a way to access necessary patient information without the need to install a full Epic system.
The process for creating Epic CareLink user accounts must balance ease of access with data security and HIPAA compliance. This requires coordination between IT staff, Epic administrators, external providers, and compliance teams. In some cases, delays in account creation can slow down patient care, particularly when a specialist or referring physician needs immediate access to patient records. Due to the high volume of new account requests, as well as reactivation of existing Carelink accounts that become inactive after a period of inactivity, WakeMed found themselves in need of outsourcing some of the aspects of account creation.
For more than 5 years, DDN has been coordinating with all the necessary WakeMed employees and departments to facilitate CareLink account creation and maintenance.
The DDN Solution
DDN’s management of WakeMed’s CareLink accounts streamlined the process and reduced problematic delays. More efficient account creating and maintenance allows for secure and timely collaboration amongst care teams, leading to improved patient outcomes.
The Outcome
WakeMed Hospital IT management staff report, “For the past 15 years, DDN went from a contract company to an integral part of the WakeMed family. We don’t know how we could do the things we do without their support and attention to detail.”
DDN helped WakeMed decrease system downtime, leading to smoother operations and improved patient care. Staff satisfaction surveys improved as the technology the staff used on a daily basis became more reliable. Budgeting is now more efficient, as the hospital can buy, build, and plan for each year’s warranty replacements more effectively.
WakeMed Hospital successfully streamlined its computer replacement management system, resulting in enhanced operational efficiency and improved patient care. This outcome underscores the importance of proactive management in technology replacement, particularly in critical healthcare settings.
