Geisinger's epic journey: Scaling EHR operations on AWS (HLS207)
Key Takeaways from the Geisinger Epic Journey on AWS
Geisinger's Approach to Cloud Migration
Extensive planning and preparation was key to ensuring a successful migration
Geisinger first moved other clinical applications to the cloud before migrating Epic
They set up a full training instance in the cloud to test and validate the environment
Geisinger's original plan was to move production to the cloud for a week and then move back on-premises, but they ended up staying in the cloud permanently due to positive user feedback
Benefits Experienced
Reliability
Geisinger has been able to provide continuous access to patient records by leveraging the high service resiliency of AWS
Performance
Geisinger saw at least a 20% improvement in average response time and a 50% reduction in workflows missing the response time target
Cost Optimization
By right-sizing their instance types and leveraging newer AWS technologies, Geisinger was able to reduce their costs despite increasing the number of servers
Importance of FinOps
Geisinger emphasized the need for a dedicated FinOps team and program to continuously optimize costs and identify opportunities
Strategies include leveraging compute savings plans, optimizing backup and data retention, and validating new instance types before scaling
Lessons Learned
Educate and prepare all stakeholders (executives, IT teams, application teams) for the cloud migration
Adopt a "watch one, do one, teach one" approach when working with partners
Thoroughly understand all the integration points and dependencies of the Epic system
Enhance security and resilience measures, such as using separate accounts and firewalls
Invest in FinOps early to proactively identify and act on cost optimization opportunities
Advice for Other Organizations
Conduct a capacity assessment and review your instance types
Establish a dedicated FinOps team and program
If not already in the cloud, explore the benefits and work with AWS to understand the options
Leverage AWS services and partners to set up an isolated Epic recovery environment to improve resilience
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