SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ― Regional West is bringing the most widely used electronic health records (EHR) system in the country to its patients. With assistance from UCHealth in Denver, Colorado, the health system will launch the new Epic system Saturday, Oct. 5.

The system will include MyChart, a user-friendly patient portal where patients can access and pay their bills, correspond with their care providers, schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, and view test results.

Transitioning to the Epic electronic health record (EHR) will help Regional West focus on improving care coordination throughout the medical center and clinic settings.

“Over the past two years, we have focused on improving the patient experience. That means making every step of the way better, from a patient making an appointment, receiving test results, and then receiving a correct bill in a timely manner. The new EHR will assist us in that process and help make the experience better and easier for our patients,” said Mel McNea, CEO of Regional West Health Services.

The transition to Epic is an organizational transformation. While new technology is a major component and requires great collaboration between the UCHealth and Regional West information technology teams, success will be driven by Regional West’s leadership, physicians, nurses, therapists, and clinical employees. The outcome will be an integrated EHR platform that enables physicians to access relevant patient information immediately and empowers patients to manage their own care through the MyChart patient portal.

“This is a major upgrade for Regional West,” said Chief Information Officer Paul Butler. “Every provider and employee at Regional West has focused on making this transition as smooth as possible for our patients. It is truly a world-class system and will benefit our patients by integrating their medical information throughout the health system and, in turn, facilitating better communication with the goal of an improved patient experience.”

Please be aware that check-in processes may take longer than usual in the next few weeks due to the transition to a new electronic health record system. To make sure all patient information is correct, we will ask them to verify date of birth, address, phone number, and Social Security number as well as bring their insurance or Medicare card and current medication list when checking in for appointments and procedures.

About Regional West
Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Nebraska is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a regional referral center celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2024 and the only Level II Trauma Center in Nebraska west of Kearney. As the region’s sole tertiary medical center, Regional West features an expansive array of medical specialties and numerous physician clinics. Regional West offers comprehensive and innovative healthcare services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.