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Epic Research & Innovation Plan

To stay agile and effective, we need to dedicate time to research. This plan outlines two focused sessions for exploring Epic's capabilities—both what we currently have and what's coming next—to ensure our revenue cycle is best-in-class.

Purpose of This Session

The goal is to **maximize the value of the Epic tools we already own**. There is often powerful, underutilized functionality within our existing modules. This session is about uncovering that hidden potential to get immediate wins without new investment.

Research Agenda (2 Hours)

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(0-45 min) Advanced Reporting Workbench Exploration

We use Reporting Workbench daily, but let's push its limits.

  • My Reports vs. Library: Systematically review the report library for templates we haven't utilized. Are there pre-built denial trend, payment variance, or A/R aging reports we can adapt?
  • Advanced Filtering & Summaries: Can we create more dynamic reports using summary-level views and complex filtering logic to automate parts of our weekly analysis?
  • Merger Analysis: Focus on creating template reports that specifically compare legacy entity A vs. legacy entity B on key metrics like denial rate, clean claim rate, and days in A/R.
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(45-90 min) Demystifying SlicerDicer

This is Epic's self-service analytics tool. Let's see if we can use it to answer complex questions without needing a full Cogito report.

  • Population Identification: Can we build a patient population that was denied for "medical necessity" for a specific DRG in the last 90 days?
  • Data Visualization: Explore its ability to create on-the-fly charts and graphs. How quickly can we visualize denial reasons by payer for our top 10 CPT codes?
  • Feasibility Check: Determine what questions SlicerDicer can answer for us *now* and what questions still require a formal report request.
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(90-120 min) Dashboard & Cogito Warehouse Review

Let's take stock of our high-level analytical assets.

  • Existing Dashboards: Review all available Revenue Cycle and Financial dashboards. Are we using them to their full potential? Is the data meaningful? Do they need to be refreshed or redesigned?
  • Cogito Data Dictionary: Spend time on the UserWeb looking at the data dictionary for our Cogito version. Understanding what data elements are available is the first step to asking for more powerful reports.

Purpose of This Session

This session is forward-looking. The objective is to **proactively identify new Epic features, modules, and best practices** that we can leverage in the future. This ensures we have a long-term roadmap for improvement and can make informed budget and implementation requests.

Research Agenda (2 Hours)

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(0-60 min) Epic UserWeb Deep Dive: Galaxy & Release Notes

The UserWeb is our direct line to Epic's development pipeline.

  • Galaxy Exploration: Log into the UserWeb and navigate to "Galaxy." Systematically review the release notes for the next version of Epic, focusing specifically on Resolute HB/PB, Cogito, and Prelude.
  • Keyword Search: Search the release notes for our key pain points: "Denials," "Prior Authorization," "Avoidable Write-offs," "Revenue Integrity." What new tools is Epic building to address these?
  • "What's New" Presentations: Find the "What's New" presentations Epic provides for upcoming releases. These often provide excellent summaries and use cases for new functionality.
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(60-90 min) Brainstorming New Modules & Functionality

Based on our UserWeb research, let's look at what's possible.

  • Financial Pulse: Does our research indicate that this newer module could provide better real-time financial KPIs than our current dashboards? What would be the business case for implementing it?
  • Denial Management Tools: Are there new automated denial routing rules, reason code mappers, or appeal letter templates we could adopt?
  • Best Practice Advisories (BPAs): Can we design new BPAs to fire for front-end staff to prevent denials? For example, a BPA that warns a registrar if an authorization isn't on file for a specific payer/procedure combo.
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(90-120 min) Peer-to-Peer Research & Synthesis

Let's learn from what other organizations are doing.

  • UserWeb Forums: Search the forums for our key topics. What are other revenue cycle analysts saying? What solutions have they found for common problems?
  • UGM/XGM Presentations: Look through the archives of presentations from Epic's User Group Meeting (UGM) and Expert Group Meetings (XGM). Find presentations from organizations similar to ours and see what tools they're highlighting.
  • Action Plan: Conclude by creating a "wish list" of 2-3 new tools or functionalities, complete with a brief business case for why we should investigate them further.