The demand for Epic certified specialists is growing by the day. Epic’s software leads the healthcare industry and is expected to play an even vital role in the future. The driving force behind this demand is of course the increasing use of Epic Systems Software in major healthcare firms and the complexity of actually becoming Epic certified.
Epic implementation of EHR systems is expected to continue and this only means one thing – healthcare firms would need more IT professionals who are certified in Epic systems, at least for the next few years.
The life of an Epic Systems Analyst is challenging to say the least. In addition to dealing with the actual implementation from the ground up, an analyst has to manage a team of healthcare technicians, staff and clinicians and have them trained towards the new system. Not to mention, the challenging tasks of follow-up, optimization and after-sales support and maintenance activities.
If you have an upcoming interview for an Epic systems positions, you can be expected to answer a variety of tough questions – from the types of implementation processes to variety of workforce you’ll likely be managing and training.
Example Answers to Interview Questions for Epic System Analysts
To give you a better understanding of what to expect in an Epic Analysts interview session, here are some of the top interview questions to get you started:
- Describe your previous experience of building up an Epic project?
General Response: We had a few challenges during the initial phase of the project. The overall build phase for Epic implementation took longer than expected – due to the existing staff resistance.
Recommendation: Usually, with all Epic systems implementations, staff along with the firm’s technical teams react differently – with varying degrees of resistance to the new processes. That is all quite natural. I’ve learnt to be very patient thanks to my past experiences, and I try to make the healthcare staff understand the positive impacts of such implementations. Once they realize the benefits, usually the staff buys into the process.
It’s crucial to respond in a way that shows the interviewer that you do have the ability to meet deadlines and can work in a fast-paced challenging environment – particularly when faced with challenges like resistance from the existing staff.
- Tell us about any particular challenges that you faced in your previous Epic projects?
General Response: My previous Epic implementation was in a healthcare firm that had a lot of organizational and process level issues. The whole system was a huge mess.
Our Recommendation: Before going forward with the project, I made sure everyone in the organization from top to lower level, were on the same page regarding the Epic system implementation. I ensured everyone agreed on the responsibilities and the timelines for the implementation. Such a course of action allowed me to face upcoming challenges with relative ease.
In such a scenario, the interviewer wants to know how much future-based planning had you done in your mind. Epic implementations are not just confined to a particular department – it’s an organization wide change and hence you need to make sure everyone is one the same page regarding the end goal.
- Describe your abilities and strengths in working in a team environment?
General Response: I have previously worked with a whole lot of teams. I am very confident in my abilities to work in a team-based role and enjoy it very much.
Our Recommendation: I understand the importance of working in a team based environment while implementing Epic. I also realize how important it is for every module to be integrated with each other and thus the role of every team member is significant. I’ve been involved with teams of 4 to 5 people to groups up to 40+, so I’m comfortable in all scenarios.
The interviewer wants to know if you’re a go-to person since these implementations requires a firm leader to keep a check on all processes. Effective communication skills are critical in such a job, especially when working with multi-varied teams and groups.
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