Bienvenue! Celebrating One Year Since Go-Live at Brussels Hospital, First in Belgium to Use Epic

One year ago, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc went live, becoming the first Belgian organization to use Epic and the first organization in the world to use Epic in French.

“From the doctor to the nurse, from the physiotherapist to the dietician, from the pharmacist to the reception secretary: all our professionals have direct access to all the information they need to enable them to provide the best possible care for patients,” said Renaud Mazy, CUSL’s managing director. “Better access to information for us means more quality, more proximity, and more safety for patients.”

CUSL initially planned to switch to the new EHR in June of 2020 but adjusted course earlier due to the spread of COVID-19. They decided to move forward in the face of additional surges because they recognized the importance of having an integrated system to manage care—especially during a pandemic. They used Epic to help manage infections and potential exposures, review hospital capacity and trending data, and reschedule delayed appointments and procedures.

One of CUSL’s most important reasons to go live as planned was the ability to track resources and coveted PPE, which helps ensure clinicians stay protected and saves money. Providers noted the need for new ways to interact with patients remotely, such as telemedicine visits and sending results through MyChart. As an academic institution, CUSL also plans to use Epic for research and testing and to develop clinical pathways to improve care.

CUSL trainers created almost 1,000 video lessons to support a shift to virtual training, including 50 specialty-specific training tracks for physicians. About 90 support staff from Epic offices in the U.K., the Netherlands, the U.A.E., and Verona traveled to join a small in-person project team in Brussels.

“When patients go to any clinic or hospital at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, they now have a single, complete record in Epic,” said Felicity Bloom, Epic implementation director. “They’ll also be able to review and update health information and access self-service features such as requesting appointments through an interactive app, Mon Saint-Luc (MyChart). With this successful go-live, CUSL has taken an important step forward in digitizing healthcare in Belgium.”

Read more about CUSL’s launch of Epic from La Libre.