DaVita announced that it will implement a new EHR from Epic Systems and employ Epic’s Care Everywhere Network.

The company, which provides kidney dialysis across the United States and in 11 countries around the world, said the new electronic health record EHR platform will enable it to grow the capabilities within the DaVita Physician Solutions' chronic kidney disease EHR platform.

The Epic EHR replaces DaVita’s Falcon Platinum System, which was homegrown. DaVita will also employ Epic’s Care Everywhere Network.

[Also: EHR satisfaction survey 2017: After years of frustrations, user wish-list turns positive]

"Our goal is to create technology solutions for physicians that are easy to use and are efficient in providing the right data at the right time to improve quality outcomes," Derek Schoonover, VP of information technology at Davita, said in a statement.

Schoonover added that combining Davita’s clinical expertise in kidney care with Epic technologies will make for a better platform and better patient outcomes.

Chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease are major drivers of cost, and coordination is critical. By leveraging Care Everywhere interoperability, noted Alan Hutchison, vice president of population health at Epic, DaVita will be able to collaborate and to provide the Epic community information and insights to help reduce costs and facilitate care. The number of end-stage renal patients on dialysis is expected to double to 850,000 in the next decade. 

DaVita did not say how much it will spend on the new Epic electronic health record platform.

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