UCSF Health’s Community Affiliates Program has achieved Connect Accreditation for the year 2024. This accreditation serves as a testament to the high standards and quality of our program. Epic, a leading electronic health record (EHR) provider, rigorously reviews the program and overall processes of the host institution, ensuring that they meet the highest industry standards. 

Achieving Connect Accreditation is the result of the collective efforts of many individuals and teams within UCSF Health. The wide assessment involved in the accreditation process means that many teams played a significant role in this achievement. 

Several highlights of our program contributed to the successful accreditation. We prioritize collaborative governance and information sharing. We provide forums for input and offer opportunities for our customers to stay integrated with UCSF Health. Additionally, we offer resources such as Executive Packets for larger sites and participation at Epic forums to ensure that our customers have access to the best practices in healthcare. 

One notable aspect of this year’s review process was the inclusion of direct surveys of our affiliate customers on APeX topics. This allowed Epic to gather feedback and insights from our affiliates, ensuring that their perspectives were considered. 

Epic conducted surveys among MarinHealth Medical Center (MHMC) senior leadership and providers/leaders of all our CIN/UBCP sites on APeX. The results of these surveys were overwhelmingly positive, with happy scores averaging over 7.4 out of 10. These scores reflect the satisfaction and endorsement of our affiliate customers, further validating the quality of our program. 

The results of the accreditation and surveys will be shared at an upcoming internal Community Affiliates Operations Committee meeting. This will provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to celebrate this achievement and discuss ways to further enhance our program. 

To ensure seamless integration of non-owned sites into UCSF Health’s services and processes, we have established EHR Relationship Managers (RMs). These managers adhere to Epic’s suggested ratio of 75 providers to 1 RM and focus on ongoing training, planned upgrades, proactive communication, roadmaps, and escalation paths. This approach ensures that our community affiliates experience a smooth transition and optimal adoption of APeX, including the highly regarded MyChart feature. 

Over the past six years, UCSF Health’s community affiliates utilizing APeX have witnessed tremendous growth. With MHMC as our large Connect customer and over 480 ambulatory affiliate providers utilizing APeX, our community network spans various specialties, including pediatrics, OB/GYN, home health, hospice, and numerous adult specialties, with UC Berkeley Optometry and Berkeley ASC underway. The APeX system is now used by thousands of community end-user affiliates across the Bay Area, reinforcing our commitment to improving healthcare outcomes in the region. 

While UCSF Health does not market our EHR services based solely on accreditation status, this achievement serves as a good barometer of the quality of our program and our national standing. The Connect Accreditation from Epic is akin to a “good housekeeping seal of approval.” We are proud to be a leader in the healthcare industry, and we congratulate other UC Health institutions, such as UCSD, UCLA, and UCD (in process), for also attaining accreditation this year. 

This accomplishment reflects our commitment to providing exceptional healthcare services and our dedication to advancing healthcare practices. We look forward to continuing this journey and further strengthening our partnerships with our community affiliates.