From Host to Site: Unlocking the Secrets of Epic Community Connect

This webinar was originally recorded on Becker’s Healthcare “Optimizing Epic Community Connect: Strategies for Success from Both Sides of the Connection.” 

In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, interoperability and care coordination are more than buzzwords, they’re imperatives. In a recent Becker's Healthcare webinar, Stephanie Murray, Senior Director of Epic Services, and Lyndsay Schuering, Consulting Project Manager of Epic Services, offered a deep dive into the Epic Community Connect model, providing healthcare leaders with actionable strategies and lessons learned from years of implementation experience. 

What Is Epic Community Connect?

Epic Community Connect allows Epic Direct customers (hosts) to extend their Epic instance to non-owned entities (sites), such as clinics, physician groups, and smaller health systems. This model fosters shared patient data, streamlined workflows, and improved continuity of care.

As Stephanie explained, “It’s really about having that shared communication and governance and ongoing support and working together throughout the entire process.”

Key Takeaways

1. It’s All About Fit—Not Just Functionality

Before jumping into Community Connect, both hosts and sites need to ask: Is this the right fit for us?

Hosts should consider patient overlap, continuity of care, and whether they’re ready to take on a service-provider role. “Are you prepared as the host to build and foster that ongoing relationship with your connected site? It is a service provider mentality once you are a host.” said Stephanie.

Sites need to evaluate cost, staffing, and whether Epic’s ecosystem aligns with their needs.

Accreditation can help guide the decision—Epic lists accredited hosts who follow best practices and have happy, well-supported sites. But even with a strong host, Epic Community Connect sites can face common challenges that require thoughtful planning, clear communications, and proactive support. 

Common challenges for Epic Community Connect sites

While Epic Community Connect offers powerful benefits—such as shared data, streamlined workflows, and enhanced care coordination—sites often encounter hurdles that can impact their success if not addressed early:

• Limited Autonomy: Sites may have restricted ability to customize workflows or configurations, which can lead to operational friction if the host’s setup doesn’t align with their needs.
• Cultural Misalignment: A mismatch in communication styles, decision-making processes, or organizational values between host and site can create tension and slow progress.
• Support Gaps: Without clearly defined support models and escalation paths, sites may feel underserved or uncertain about how to get help when issues arise.
• Change Management Fatigue: Transitioning to Epic—especially from a legacy system—can be overwhelming for staff. Without strong change management, adoption and morale may suffer.
• Cost Surprises: Sites may face unexpected expenses related to third-party tools, training, or infrastructure upgrades, especially if total cost of ownership isn’t fully scoped up front.
• Technical Debt: Legacy systems or outdated infrastructure can complicate integration and increase implementation timelines and costs.

Curious how one health system tackled Epic go-live staffing costs? Read this Epic Support Staffing Budgeting Story.

2. Total Cost of Ownership Is More Than Just Licensing 

Cost considerations go far beyond licensing. Leaders should factor in implementation fees, staffing, third-party integrations, and technical debt. 

Implementation fees 

Ongoing maintenance 

Third-party integrations 

Staffing and training 

Technical debt cleanup 

Stephanie encouraged organizations to think holistically about ROI. Not just in dollars, but in time savings, provider satisfaction, and improved patient experiences. Stephanie explained, “If you can go from one facility to another and they don’t ask you the same 40 questions over and over again, you’re probably pretty happy about that.” 

3. Governance Is the Glue 

Governance is the backbone of a successful Connect program. From defining roles and responsibilities to managing change and escalation paths, having a clear governance structure ensures that everyone knows what to expect and how to get their voice heard. 

4. Culture Counts 

One of the most underrated aspects of Community Connect? Culture. 

• Do the host and site communicate well?
• Are they aligned on goals?
• Is there mutual respect and accountability? 

Without cultural alignment, even the best technical setup can fall flat. “You don't want this to feel like ‘I'm doing this to you.’ You want that engagement, that involvement, that buy-in upfront and throughout the project.” said Lyndsay. 

Lessons Learned: What To Watch For 

• Early Alignment Is Critical: Establish shared goals and expectations from the outset. 
• Support Must Evolve: Post-Go Live support should include optimization and adoption of new Epic features. Go Live isn’t the finish line, stay vocal about your needs. 
• Change Management Is Key: Technology alone isn’t enough; staff must be trained, engaged, and supported. 
• Expertise Matters: From planning to optimization, having the right people in place is non-negotiable. Want to see how the right Epic team made a fast-tracked implementation possible? Read this Epic Implementation Story.

Stephanie left listeners with a thought-provoking statement, “You can have all the technology in the world, but if there’s nobody who knows how to use it or that it’s there, then nobody’s going to use it.” 

Final Thoughts: Why It All Matters 

Epic Community Connect offers a scalable, collaborative model for extending Epic’s powerful capabilities to smaller organizations.  

Whether you’re exploring Epic Community Connect for the first time or looking to optimize an existing program, the message from the webinar was clear: success hinges on alignment, transparency, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

At CereCore, we help organizations navigate the complexities of Community Connect with clarity and confidence. From early-stage evaluations to implementation, optimization, and long-term support, we bring the structure, expertise, and scalability to support both hosts and sites.  Our experience makes one thing clear: Epic Community Connect is not just a technical deployment—it’s a strategic relationship.

Lyndsay put it best, “You should be partnering with each other the entire time—from your initial ‘are we the right fit?’ all the way through long-term maintenance and support.” This is where CereCore comes in - helping healthcare organizations build a sustainable, collaborative Epic Community Connect program that delivers lasting value.

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