Epic announced this week that it launched Garden Plot, a new software-as-a-service tailored toward independent medical groups.  

The model is aimed at streamlining access to ready-for-use Epic tools for providers who may find the migration to a new system too cumbersome.   

"Garden Plot gives small, independent groups access to Epic – the software and third parties they need, plus the strength of our interoperability network – with minimal overhead," JP Heres, vice president of Garden Plot at Epic, said in a statement.  

"We handle hosting, support, and the configuration and rollout of updates so that providers can focus on their patients," Heres added.  

WHY IT MATTERS  

According to Epic, Garden Plot is intended to be an avenue for groups to work with the company when the Community Connect program – which systems can use to extend their Epic instances to nearby medical groups – isn't an option.   

Epic notes that the model can encourage interoperability via shared patient records with local hospitals.  

Garden Plot includes integrated products from Availity, Biscom, Change Healthcare, Healthwise, Intelligent Medical Objects, Iron Bridge, Lyniate, OSG Billing Services, Solarity, Sphere, Surescripts and Wolters Kluwer, said the vendor.  

"Garden Plot is currently available to primary and specialty care groups with more than 40 providers," said Heres.

"Our customers' first wave of implementations will kick off in May 2022," Heres added.  

THE LARGER TREND  

Epic's announcement of Garden Plot came alongside recent news that the company plans to showcase a new CRM system, called Cheers, at HIMSS22 in Orlando.   

The new products follow the company's run in February at the Best in KLAS awards, where it won for overall software suite for the 12th year in a row.  

It also snagged 10 other Best in KLAS awards, including top overall physician practice vendor.  

ON THE RECORD  

"We're excited to give more clinicians the opportunity to use Epic software," Heres said in a statement.

Kat Jercich is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Twitter: @kjercich
Email: kjercich@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.