Epic Integration for Vision Screening Medical Device

A healthcare technology company partnered with AkshatMedTech Digital Health to automate the transfer of vision screening device readings directly into Epic EHR. The aim was to eliminate manual data entry for nursing staff & lessen documentation errors across pediatric and primary care workflows.

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Client Industry

A medical device company specializing in ophthalmic screening technology, serving pediatric clinics, school health programs, & primary care facilities

Enhancements

  • Bidirectional device-to-Epic data pipeline
  • Real-time encounter & order retrieval
  • Patient-matched screening initiation
  • Structured observation data visible within Epic Flowsheets

Services Delivered

  • Epic FHIR API integration for encounter/order retrieval & patient demographics
  • HL7v2 Incoming Clinical Documentation Flowsheet Interface.
  • Medical device connectivity & data mapping architecture
  • Interoperability testing & Epic community-ready assessment

The Tech Stack

  • Epic FHIR R4 APIs
  • HL7v2 Messaging Protocol
  • Python / Node.js
  • PostgreSQL
  • AWS (EC2, S3)
  • Docker
  • REST APIs

Project Overview:

Nurse documenting a vision screening
Epic Vision ScreeningSynced with EpicEpic
Emily RodriguezMRN 00812 · DOB 03/12/2016
Active
Right Eye (OD)20/25
Left Eye (OS)20/30
Review & SignPrint ResultsSend to ParentRescreen
Synced with Epic

Nurses spend a significant portion of their shifts documenting and retrieving patient data inside the EHR, reducing time available for direct patient care. In many clinics, vision screening results are still recorded on paper and manually entered into Epic Flowsheets later, creating documentation delays, transcription errors, and workflow slowdowns during high-volume patient visits.

For medical device companies, the challenge extends beyond workflow inefficiency. With Epic powering a large share of U.S. hospital systems, devices that cannot integrate directly into Epic often remain outside the clinical workflow where adoption decisions are made. AkshatMedTech Digital Health developed a complete device-to-Epic integration that automated patient matching and vision screening data transfer directly into Epic Flowsheets, eliminating manual entry and making the solution deployment-ready for health systems using Epic.

Challenges

Manual Data Entry
Lack of Patient-Encounter matching
Transcription Errors
Data Silos
Ecosystem Distribution Barriers
Missing Integration Standards
01

Nurses manually transcribed device readings into Epic Flowsheets after every screening

Solutions We Delivered

01

Real-time Encounter & Order Retrieval from Epic

We built a FHIR-based integration module that retrieves active Encounters and Orders directly from Epic in real time. When a patient arrives for a scheduled vision screening, the device application pulls the relevant visit context so the operator can confirm the correct patient before initiating the exam. This eliminated the guesswork and chart-matching that previously slowed down the screening workflow.

VisionLink EpicSynced with EpicEpic
Order RetrievalRetrieve Orders
Total Orders124Synced Today82Pending Action14System Latency120ms
PatientMRNOrder IDScreening TypeAppointmentStatus
Sarah JohnsonMRN-82941ORD-9012-APediatric VisionToday, 09:15Synced
Michael ChenMRN-44219ORD-3241-BComprehensiveToday, 10:45Pending
Emily RiveraMRN-91028ORD-1288-XPediatric VisionToday, 01:20Action Required
Liam SmithMRN-33104ORD-5521-GPediatric VisionToday, 02:45Synced
02

Patient-matched Screening Initiation

With encounter data now available on the connected application, the screening is initiated against a verified patient and visit, ensuring that every captured reading is accurately linked to the right individual and the correct clinical encounter within Epic. This patient-matched step prevents mismatched results, a common issue in high-throughput pediatric screening environments where multiple children are screened in rapid succession.

OpticPrecisionSynced with EpicEpic
Patient-matched Screening Initiation
Isabella DavisMRN 00834 · Enc E-2210
Matched

Visit: Well-child 6y

Provider: Dr. Patel

Order: ORD-1288-X

  1. Scan MRN
  2. Encounter matched
  3. Consent verified
  4. Start screening
Start Screening Device
03

Automated Results Push

Once the vision screening is complete, captured readings are automatically transmitted to Epic through the HL7v2 Incoming Clinical Documentation Flowsheet interface. The integration constructs structured r47 messages containing the screening values and delivers them into Epic Flowsheets without any manual intervention from nursing staff.

OpticPrecisionSynced with EpicEpic
Screening ResultsPush to Epic
Autorefractor
HL7v2 · FlowsheetMSH|^~\&|VISIONLINK|CLINIC|EPIC|PID|1||00834^^^MRN||DAVIS^ISABELLAPV1|1|O|PEDS||||OBX|1|NM|OD.VA||20/25|OBX|2|NM|OS.VA||20/30|
Epic Flowsheet

OD VA20/25

OS VA20/30

Sphere+0.50

StatusFiled

04

Structured data retrieval through Epic FHIR Observation APIs

Screening results stored in Epic Flowsheets are now retrievable through Epic’s FHIR Observation APIs, making them available for downstream analytics, population health reporting, and clinical decision support. Providers can view historical screening trends for a patient directly within Epic, supporting longitudinal care planning and early intervention for conditions like amblyopia or refractive disorders detected through routine screening.

VisionLink EpicSynced with EpicEpic
Jonathan R. MillerFHIR Observation
Visual acuity trend (OD)
Screenings per visit
Observation resources

Observation/vis-0120/25

Observation/vis-0220/30

Observation/ref-03+0.50

05

Epic Community Readiness

Beyond the technical integration, AkshatMedTech architected the solution to align with Epic’s listing requirements and interoperability standards, positioning the client’s product for distribution across Epic’s network of hospitals and health systems.

VisionSystem AdminSynced with EpicEpic
Connected Sites142Sync Rate94.2%Live Devices89Epic StatusOK
Network Distribution Status
Epic Showcase Checklist

FHIR R4 endpoints

HL7v2 flowsheet feed

Security review

Listing requirements

Impact

Nurse using the vision screening device
Epic Vision ScreeningSynced with EpicEpic
Emily RodriguezMRN 00812 · DOB 03/12/2016
Active
Right Eye (OD)20/25
Left Eye (OS)20/30
Review & SignPrint ResultsSend to ParentRescreen
10xclinical visibility
  • Up to 60% Reduction in Documentation Time

    Automated data transfer eliminated manual transcription, freeing nursing staff to focus on patient care.

  • No Transcription Errors

    HL7 messaging removes the manual handoff between device and EHR, significantly reducing mis-filed or inaccurate screening results.

  • 2x Accelerated Screening Throughput

    Patient-matched encounters and automated result posting support higher patient volume per session.

  • 10x Improved Clinical Visibility

    Screening data retrievable through FHIR Observation APIs supports longitudinal care and evidence-based care coordination within the provider’s existing Epic environment.

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