Assessing the Epic App Orchard: What’s Your App Strategy?
While a typical apple tree takes 5 to 8 years to bear fruit after planting, Epic says its customers are already harvesting positive benefits from the company’s App Orchard, launched in 2017.
Epic Systems recently hosted developers and users at its Verona, WI headquarters for the 2018 App Orchard conference. The event was a showcase for some early success stories around interoperability and clinical decision support tools. Epic also announced changes to the App Orchard Developer program.
The App Orchard is a marketplace for Epic integrated apps developed by third-party vendors and Epic customers. There are now 115 apps available to facilitate clinical, administrative, pop health, patient experience and research functions for Epic clients.
Healthcare IT Leaders is an App Orchard partner and our GM of CHR Optimization and Interoperability, Kelsey Amos, attended the conference. Her key takeaways:
Lower Barrier to Entry
Based on user feedback in year one, Epic is lowering App Orchard fees and increasing technical resources for clients and vendors with a goal of stimulating app development and innovation. Large academic systems are early adopters, but Epic is encouraging customers of all types and sizes to license current apps or develop new ones.
Patient Care Apps Dominate
Apps for patient care and clinical support predominate the current marketplace and merit review and evaluation. Epic seeks to expand other app categories including Administration, Referral Management, Long-Term Care, and Reporting and Analytics.
CHR Worldview
The App Orchard is a key component of Epic’s larger worldview of a Comprehensive Health Record, inclusive of social determinants and more external data sources. Epic is encouraging app development and collaboration with partners who seek to address major public health problems, ranging from Sepsis and Opioid abuse to Childhood Obesity.
What’s Your App Orchard Strategy?
Some of our clients have questions about the App Orchard and how it fits into their Epic strategy. Others want specifics on how to build and deploy their own apps to the marketplace.
Our App Orchard experts are here to help. To set up an informational call, simply complete this form or reply to this email with a request to learn more about this new resource for Epic customers.
