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Bay Area Hospital staffer warns Epic EMR rollout harmed operations and staffing
Summary
A long-time Bay Area Hospital employee told the Coos Bay City Council in public comment that the hospital’s adoption of the Epic electronic medical record system contributed to staff departures, reliance on temporary travel nurses and ongoing operational problems that could threaten local hospital operations.
Scott Frazier, who identified himself as a 25-year Bay Area Hospital employee and a Coos Bay resident, used the council’s public-comment period to warn that operational decisions at Bay Area Hospital have harmed services and staffing.
Frazier said a social-media post asserted that the hospital’s financial situation “isn’t the result of mismanagement. But a CEO and administrative team are responsible for the overall direction and success of the company.” He told the council the hospital’s administrative team “decided to go with an Epic EMR,” referring to the Epic electronic medical-record system, and added: “I think EPIC was a disaster. It cost them, I’m sure it cost the hospital millions of dollars.”
Frazier said problems with the electronic-records rollout have persisted for years, citing collaboration with a regional partner as an attempted remedy: “We partnered with Saint Charles Hospital in Bend as a source to fix issues with Epic. But they were ill equipped to solve a multitude of issues. And it’s been going on for years. It’s still not corrected.”
Nut graf: Frazier tied the EMR implementation to workforce impacts, saying the problems pushed seasoned nurses away and increased reliance on temporary travel nurses, which he said drove costs higher and could endanger hospital operations in Coos Bay.
Frazier warned that if the hospital cannot resolve its problems or are unable to find a partner solution, “they could close the doors and that’s gonna I think Coos Bay is gonna become a ghost town.” He asked the council to recognize the potential local impact if the hospital’s management decisions are not addressed.
Ending: The council received the comment during the public-comment period; no council action or staff response on hospital management was recorded in the meeting transcript.
