Methodist Health System Extends 25-Year Relationship With Oracle Cerner

Over the past 25 years, Methodist Health System and Oracle Cerner have worked together to improve the patient and caregiver experience in Omaha and the surrounding communities. Continuing to deepen the relationship, Methodist recently committed to a 10-year contract extension. 

In the years since its first contract signing in 1996 – when it selected Oracle Cerner as its lab and pharmacy technology provider – Methodist has benefited from the full suite of Oracle Cerner solutions. This includes Cerner Millennium® electronic health record (EHR), Cerner Patient Accounting and Cerner HealtheIntent®, which have led to noted improvements in consumer engagement over the last several months.  

Oracle Cerner technology helps Methodist fulfill its patient-centric mission by providing tools to help consumers take control of their health while allowing clinicians to provide care with near real-time and actionable data. Possessing a significant share of the Omaha market, the health system aims to enhance quality care for patients by providing them access to their own data, as well as furthering its investment in interoperability and future innovation.

“Over the years, our partnership with Oracle Cerner has continued to grow,” said Kent Sona, vice president of information technology and chief information officer for Methodist Health System. “It’s not us and them. It’s we. We work closely together to come up with solutions to meet the needs of our clinicians and our patients. With our recent contract renewal, we have put a strong focus on consumerism, and by working with Oracle Cerner we’re enhancing access to care and information and improving the overall patient experience within our facilities.”

Methodist has put a strong focus on community partnerships to gain insight into what its patients want to see from their digital experience, which ultimately helps to grow its market share and guide service line growth in areas like women’s health, oncology and cardiology. Recent technology efforts with Oracle Cerner include the ability to text patients, online digital check-in and pre- and post-digital care plans.

Over the last 25 years, Methodist has also seen tremendous growth in both the acute and ambulatory markets. In 2018, it acquired Fremont Health, and Oracle Cerner supported its integration into Methodist Health System. Fremont Health was already an Oracle Cerner electronic health record (EHR) customer. As the health system continues to grow, it benefits from Oracle Cerner’s Real-Time Health System suite of solutions to assist in patient flow, transfers and real-time command center reporting.

“Oracle Cerner is proud to continue our decades-long partnership with Methodist Health System,” said Bob Kopanic, senior vice president of North America Client relationships for Oracle Cerner. “Their culture of compassion, care and collaboration has been a key part of our collective success through the years, and we look forward to continuing to work them to create efficiencies that enhance the patient and caregiver experience.”