There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to help ensure our Epic electronic medical record system runs smoothly and efficiently for physicians, nurses, and clinical staff. Maria Fancher is one of the CRH team members helping to make that happen. Since joining CRH in 2019, Maria, who is a senior Epic analyst, supports physicians and advanced practice providers in the workflows that they use in Epic to provide patient care. That involves everything from when they enter orders for patients, view clinical data, retrieve test results, and perform procedures.

An example of this workflow support would be when a hospitalist rounds on the floors. The hospitalist reviews the patient’s clinical data in Epic, visits/cares for the patient, and then documents the visit in Epic. “Our goal is to make sure when they are interacting with Epic that their experience is seamless and supports what they are doing clinically without the need for extra clicks or navigating the system unnecessarily,” said Maria.

Maria has worked as an Epic analyst for six years and as a nurse for 21 years. She likes the variety in her work and the learning opportunities it provides, which is evident by the many Epic certifications she has received. Maria enjoys interacting with providers and nurses and helping to come up with new ways to improve the system – “how you can make the end user’s experience even better. It’s really fun to do that,” she said. Her clinical background helps her to translate clinical workflows and identify what is needed from both a clinical standpoint and an IT standpoint. “We’re not taking care of a computer; we’re taking care of patients. My experience helps to understand their challenges and needs – how I can make Epic more efficient,” she said. Maria’s manager, Sheri Adams, said that Maria’s prior experience as a nurse informaticist has been instrumental in her role. “Maria has positively affected our hospital system, customers, patients, and peers in so many ways,” said Sheri.

When Maria interviewed for her role two years ago, she was impressed with the level of engagement and support that existed. “Throughout the course of the interview, it became obvious to me that Columbus Regional has a culture of excellence and support from the top down,” she said. Over the last year and a half, that culture of excellence and support remains and has further solidified her desire to work at CRH for the long-term. “The leadership is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. They truly care about the people and not just as an employee but as a person,” said Maria. “I could not feel anymore blessed that CRH chose me to join the organization.”

We are glad you chose CRH, Maria!