Health system creates custom-built digital front door for virtual care appointments with patients 

Client background

A large health system with an established IT department that is headquartered in New Jersey. 

The business challenge

Because of the health risks associated with COVID-19, the health system began looking for a digital front door solution to facilitate a safe method for providers to meet with patients and share information regarding symptoms and concerns for personal health. Not only did the health system want a video interface for providers and patients to visit through, but they also wanted to integrate the appointments within Epic.   

Creating a digital front door requires experience in Python, JavaScript, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Health Level Seven (HL7) and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), as well as extensive experience with electronic medical records (EMR) systems and various types of integrations across application programming interface (API) calls and HL7. Although there were many options for “off-the-shelf” solutions to satisfy most of their requirements, the client pushed for a custom solution as many in the marketplace do not meet all their needs.  

The health system also required a way to upload insurance information and unique patient identifiers (e.g., driver’s license, etc.) and photos of the patient’s symptoms, if applicable. Lastly, the client wanted the digital front door to work across a wide array of devices and applications, including Android, Apple, Windows, etc.  

The Baker Tilly approach

Baker Tilly utilized our extensive network of health care technology specialists across software development and clinical interfaces to provide a best-of-breed solution for addressing our client's needs, including:  

• Working closely with the health system’s staff to coordinate with Epic and all the interfaces and security configurations across API’s and HL7.  
• Mentoring the health system’s technical staff on how to maintain the software that was written for the project.   
• Working directly with Epic staff to ensure information was conveyed effectively. In one case, Baker Tilly used the experience of another integration project to suggest fixes to a likely cause of an HL7 mapping error. 
• Contributing to build a system that was validated against Android, Apple and Windows-based devices.   

Throughout the engagement, Baker Tilly looked ahead into the development process and anticipated what would be required for the project. By being forward-looking, we educated the client on what they wanted to have completed at that specific point-in-time but also what would be required in the future. This encompassed patient confidentiality technologies and technical limitations of their current approach regarding scare and growth.   

Baker Tilly was also able to surface many issues on the EMR side of the operation and help guide the process to completion. Some of these solutions included tracking mapping information for HL7 and API data, as well as helping provide a list of questions for Epic that saved time in setting up the current set of API’s.  

Business impact

Baker Tilly consultants successfully created the digital front door for remote appointments that features a virtual waiting room, video conferencing with providers and an appointment scheduling system that is fully integrated with the Epic EMR system. Baker Tilly also provided their internal staff with a reusable set of codes that can be expanded for other features they may require in the future

For more information on this topic, or to learn how Baker Tilly’s healthcare information technology specialists can help, contact us now.