15 Nov Epic COVID vaccine passport tool now available to around 70 million patients
Verona-based health records software company Epic systems has added a new function to its patient portal, allowing patients to view their COVID vaccination or testing records and show them to others without revealing other personal information.
Heading to a concert venue or restaurant that requires proof of COVID vaccination? Need to show your boss you got tested? If your medical records are in Epic System’s MyChart software, you might be able to leave your vaccine card at home.
That’s because the Verona-based health records software company has added a new function to its patient portal, allowing patients to view their COVID-19 vaccination or testing records and show them to others without revealing other personal information. It also allows patients to display a QR code that businesses and event organizers can scan with the SMART Health Card Verifier app, a specialized QR code reader developed by the Commons Project Foundation.
Epic, the biggest player in the health records software business, added the digital vaccine credential to its MyChart software this summer without fanfare. Rather than advertise it to the public, the company alerted its health care system clients that they could choose to enable the feature and promote it among their patients. The clients began implementing it in July, and the list has been growing since, the company said.
“Today, over 70 million patients across all 50 states have access to the vaccination credential in Epic, and we expect that number to climb to over 100 million in 2022,” said Epic implementation executive Nick Frenzer at a Friday news conference.
Locally, the credential is available to patients of SSM Health, UW Health, UnityPoint Health and Group Health Cooperative of Southern Wisconsin. Anyone, including businesses and event organizers, can download the SMART Health Card Verifier app to check COVID status of guests, customers or employees as needed. Both the MyChart feature and the Verifier app are free.