COVINGTON – St. Tammany Health System has joined with healthcare organizations across Louisiana for the first statewide launch of MyChart Central in the nation, giving patients a single, secure way to access their medical records, communicate with care teams and manage their care.
“St. Tammany Health System has long prioritized first-class patient experience, just as it has long prioritized innovation. The new MyChart Central initiative and its single sign-on capabilities, as we see it, present an opportunity to address both,” STHS Chief Information Officer Craig Doyle said.
“It’s simple: Streamlining our patients’ care improves that care,” Doyle continued. “That’s something we at St. Tammany are excited about – and we are just as excited to link arms with the other healthcare institutions throughout the state who were forward-thinking enough to be part of this first-in-the-nation initiative.”
Louisiana’s statewide launch follows an initial activation of MyChart Central in Madison, Wisconsin, where health systems collaborated on a citywide go-live. Later this year, the capability is expected to expand nationwide, allowing patients across the country to connect their MyChart accounts through one Epic ID.
The launch of MyChart Central is an acknowledgment that many Louisianians receive care from multiple providers and across parish lines. The new statewide MyChart Central is designed to address that by integrating patient information from multiple health systems. Among MyChart Central’s offerings:
- One MyChart login. Patients can use a single Epic ID to sign in to MyChart for all Louisiana organizations using Epic, without needing to keep track of multiple usernames and passwords.
- Password-free convenience. With support for passkeys and biometrics like face and fingerprint, patients can securely sign in without remembering passwords.
- Synced profile information. When patients move or get a new phone number, they can update MyChart Central once. Updates sync to the other organizations where they receive care, saving time and reducing the need to fill out repetitive forms.
- Easier patient-driven interoperability. A single Epic ID makes it easier for patients to securely share their medical information with health apps they choose.
In addition to St. Tammany Health System, other Louisiana health systems participating in MyChart Central rollout are: Baton Rouge General, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Lake Charles Memorial Health System, LCMC Health, North Oaks Health System, Ochsner Health System, Terrebonne General Medical Center and Woman’s Hospital.
“Being first in healthcare technology is another example of Louisiana leaning in to improve healthcare for our entire state,” Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein said. “Too often, the burden is placed on the patient, and I’m thankful that many of our health systems teamed up, worked together and made an aspect of healthcare easier on our patients.”
Today, more than 2.5 million Louisianians use MyChart to manage their care, access test results, schedule and check in for appointments, message their providers, request prescription refills, pay bills and more. MyChart Central simplifies the user experience they already know with a single sign-in and a united view across organizations.
The coordinated MyChart Central activation reflects deep collaboration across all Louisiana healthcare organizations using Epic.
“Health systems throughout Louisiana came together to deliver a simpler, more connected experience for patients,” Epic R&D Director Trevor Berceau said. “Louisiana is leading the way and helping to shape how MyChart Central helps people everywhere.”
Patients in Louisiana can sign up for MyChart Central today at Central.MyChart.org.
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About St. Tammany Health System
The heartbeat of its community, St. Tammany Health System cares for patients and families with excellence, compassion and teamwork. It is nationally recognized for quality, safety and service excellence by CareChex, Leapfrog, Healthgrades, Hospital Compare, Women’s Choice and US News & World Report. The health system is home to 281-bed St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1, three diagnostic centers and 12 medical clinics throughout western St. Tammany Parish. Self-supporting, not-for-profit STHS is AA- rated by Fitch and receives no tax funding. More at StTammany.health.
About Epic
Epic is a global healthcare software company that helps people get well, helps people stay well and helps future generations be healthier. Founded in a basement in 1979 with three half-time employees, Epic is now the leading EHR software developer in the United States. Epic supports healthcare organizations in 16 countries, with more than 3,300 hospitals using Epic and over 195 million patients using Epic’s MyChart patient portal to manage their care online.