Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/949902
68 CIO / HEALTH IT 'Don't Go Public' and 'Don't Do Deals': Here Are Epic's 13 Guiding Principles By Julie Spitzer V erona, Wis.-based EHR vendor Epic ingrains a set of values in its staff, a for- mer Epic employee wrote in a blog post. e anonymous author of the blog, titled "Life Aer Epic" with the web address FiredFromEp- ic.blogspot.com, originally set out to help other former and soon-to-be-former Epic employ- ees live their best lives during the noncompete year or years following their employment at the EHR giant. ough the blog's author admits their posts are oen cynical reflections on the company, Epic's principles offer insights into its business model. And they play out in employees' everyday inter- actions with customers — in fact, the founder of HealthcareScene.com noted, "If you've dealt with Epic, you've no doubt seen a lot of them in action." Here are the company's 13 guiding principles, which, according to Life Aer Epic's author, are plastered all over campus. 1. Do not go public. 2. Do not be acquired. 3. Expectations = reality. 4. Keep commitments. 5. Be frugal. 6. Have standards. Don't do deals. 7. Create innovative and helpful products. 8. Have fun with customers. 9. Follow processes. Find root causes. Fix pro- cesses. 10. Don't take on debt for operations, no matter how good the deal. 11. Focus on competency. Do not tolerate me- diocrity. 12. Teach philosophy and culture. 13. If you disagree, dissent. Once decided, support. n 3 Reasons Why Apple Is Tackling Health Records By Julie Spitzer A pple announced its latest iPhone iOS beta update will include an op- tion for patients to input their electronic medical records. So far, 12 hospitals — and prominent EHR vendors — have partnered with Apple for the effort. Here are three reasons why Apple is tackling health records, according to Business Insider. 1. The Health app update marks a key step in solving interoperability issues with EHRs. Eventually, the update could turn into a platform for patients to add real-time data to their medical records, which could give care provid- ers a more detailed look at patients' health, according to Business Insider. 2. Self-monitoring health is a rapidly expanding business. Health and fitness app usage has surged 330 percent over the last three years, according to a Flurry report cited by Business Insider. And, more than 50 percent of consumers use their health and fitness apps more than once a week. 3. Since the Apple ecosystem is closed, patients must have an iOS device to use the feature. This could drive up adoption of Apple devices. However, the company could face challenges. Business Insider notes that only about 8 percent of consumers are willing to share their health history data with tech companies, according to a 2016 Rock Health survey. n Cerner Names Neal Patterson's Replacement: Brent Shafer to Serve as CEO By Julie Spitzer N early six months after Cerner lost CEO and Chairman Neal Patterson to an ongoing battle with cancer, the company appointed Brent Sha- fer as Mr. Patterson's replacement, effective Feb. 1. At that time, Cerner co-founder Cliff Illig, who has served as interim CEO and chairman of the board since Mr. Patteron's July 2017 passing, will resume his role as vice chairman of the board. Mr. Shafer previously served as CEO of Philips North America, a company he had been with for 12 years in various roles. He also has senior leader- ship experience at companies like GE Medical Systems, Hill-Rom Company and Hewlett-Packard. "For decades, Cerner has built its reputation on meaningful innovation and driving client value," Mr. Shafer said in a press release. "This company's his- tory of remarkable, sustained growth is testament to a strong leadership cul- ture, and I'm excited to celebrate many new milestones with Cerner associ- ates around the world." Mr. Illig, who founded the EHR giant with Mr. Patterson in 1979, expressed confidence that Mr. Shafer will guide the company in the right direction. "Brent is a proven chief executive who has helped lead the growth and strat- egies of a complex, multinational organization over a number of years," Mr. Illig said. "The addition of Brent to our leadership team positions Cerner well for our next era of growth." n