Strategic system transition: GHIS adopts Epic to advance home infusion services
Authors: Ron Zsido, Anthony Dicriscio and Jessica Koch
The year 2024 marked a transformative milestone for Geisinger Home Infusion Services (GHIS), as the organization initiated a strategic transition from its long-standing CPR+ operating system to Epic. This shift is expected to redefine workflows, elevate patient care and align GHIS with broader systemwide goals for the foreseeable future.
Since 2008, GHIS had relied on WellSky’s CPR+, a platform widely used by more than 400 home infusion companies across the country. Known for its robust capabilities in patient registration, prescription processing and billing, CPR+ served as a reliable operational backbone for GHIS.
However, in early 2024, GHIS was notified that CPR+ would be sunsetted by the end of the year, prompting an urgent need to identify and implement a new operating system.
In response, Geisinger formed a dedicated operating system assessment group composed of representatives from GHIS, the Pharmacy Strategy team, and Information Technology.
This group conducted a comprehensive evaluation of multiple commercially available home infusion platforms. Although none initially matched CPR+ in terms of performance, the team soon learned that Epic was preparing to launch a dedicated home infusion module. GHIS was invited to join Epic’s early adopter group, becoming 1 of only 7 organizations nationwide to participate. This opportunity positioned GHIS at the forefront of innovation in home infusion technology and allowed the organization to help shape the future of the platform.
Epic, already the preferred electronic health record across the Geisinger system, offers a unified platform that integrates all programs under a single digital infrastructure. This integration brings several key advantages. It eliminates the need for double documentation, enhances visibility across inpatient and outpatient pharmacy workflows and streamlines medication ordering and inventory management. Additionally, Epic empowers patient engagement through the MyChart portal and provides advanced reporting and analytics capabilities. These features collectively support GHIS’s commitment to operational excellence and improved patient outcomes.
The transition, while strategically beneficial, presented a number of challenges. With an aggressive timeline of less than 8 months from project kickoff to go-live, the project team demonstrated exceptional dedication and resilience. Complexities related to data migration, workflow optimization across multiple departments and comprehensive user training required meticulous planning and strong governance. Support from experienced Epic consultants played a critical role in navigating these hurdles.
A multidisciplinary governance group — comprising experts from pharmacy, nursing, billing, IT, informatics and revenue management — was instrumental in guiding the transition. The team conducted thorough workflow analyses, executed multiple test migrations and implemented role-based training programs. Several days of at-the-elbow support during go-live helped minimize disruptions and led to a smooth adoption process across the organization.
The transition from CPR+ to Epic represents a strategic leap forward for GHIS. Through careful planning, cross-functional collaboration and a shared commitment to excellence, GHIS is now positioned to deliver more integrated, efficient and patient-centered care in the evolving landscape of home infusion services. This change not only aligns GHIS with broader system goals, but also reinforces its dedication to operational excellence and long-term improvements in patient outcomes.
