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Patrick (Project Management)

Role at Epic

Project Management

Background

Hometown:	Chippewa Falls, WI
Education:	BS in Industrial Engineering with a minor in "life" - University of Wisconsin

Why did you choose to join Epic?

The main one was the feeling I had when I was there. I'm a big believer in my gut and my gut told me Epic was a good place to be. The relaxed atmosphere really seemed to let people be themselves which was something I was looking for. I really wanted a place that I would be happy and had an opportunity to make a difference both within the company and in the world. Healthcare can let you do that.

What do you like about working at Epic?

Epic is like no other place I've been. In my role as a project manager, there are themes and skills that certainly carry over from project to project, but each day brings a new twist or a new challenge. I am also surrounded by some of the most intelligent people I know on a regular basis. People here are always looking to do better, go farther and improve themselves; that atmosphere is contagious.

What are the projects you've worked on?

The term project manager is often used and we certainly do a lot of that - but it is so much deeper. I started out working really closely with the software. My first project was in Denver which gave me great exposure to life on the road and one of the top rated children's hospitals in the country. I grew close to the Epic team I traveled with, made friends, and got to know the team in Denver who I still maintain a relationship with today. They've moved on to many more Epic applications and a lot more success since I wrapped up my portion of the project, but being in at the start of their journey and organizational transformation was a lot of fun. As my career has progressed, I have branched out beyond the software and worked on my project and customer management skills, looking at the project as a whole from budgeting to timelines to executive and leadership communication. With one of my most recent projects at an academic medical center, I have had a chance to work with some of the brightest minds in healthcare as they look to replace hundreds of smaller systems and with the full set of Epic software. We have had a large team onsite working sometimes day and night with them, and while it has been both challenging, you get to see ideas move through the process and ultimately "go-live" while also seeing the organization go through changes to best use the new software tools. Working more in a leadership role at Epic has also exposed me to management situations that may have taken me many years to attain in another organization. I've helped grow team members and watch them progress from new hires all the way to leading their own implementation projects, providing them with lessons I've learned as well as learning from them.

What results have you achieved for our customers and for you?

We have a challenging job. Healthcare organizations make tough choices everyday and they don't always make everyone happy. When they choose Epic, they are often choosing our software, our company and our relationship with them over other capital projects that may have to wait for another funding year. That responsibility of making the Epic project successful is very important to me and helps reinforce why I do what I do. I've worked with dozens of organizations using Epic and have witnessed the software in action - not in development, not in design, but in the hands of clinicians. Seeing the eureka experiences when they actually have the ability to quickly see that Cardiologist's dictation for the first time or compare test results with a couple clicks of a mouse is really neat. These are some of the things that give me the feeling that I do and can make a difference and that my job is important.

What interests do you have outside of work?

I enjoy live music, spending time with my wife and friends, movies, television and travelling. You'd think that getting on a plane would get old, but my curiosity always finds me planning that next trip or the next vacation. There are so many neat places around the world and seeing the many I've seen only opens my eyes to the others lurking out there. I do keep my work and my non-work lives pretty separate save the occasional email from home. Many people would probably be surprised at me outside of work which I think is a good thing!