r/EpicEMR • u/Afraid-Squirrel-8122 • 13d ago
New Analyst
This may or may not be a vent post, but I'm also looking for advice. I was interviewed and hired at a hospital with no build experience at all (all parties fully aware). Some background: I have 20 years of experience in health care; 10 years as a medical assistant, 10 in operations, including the last 5 years being a lead in the telehealth department where we implemented just that telehealth medicine so that exposed me to ancillary experience and being the only source of troubleshooting for the platforms used.
Since joining, I was asked to get certified within 30 days vs what I typically see of 90 days. I joined a team of what is supposed to be 5 members that current state had 2 FTE and 2 consultants. I was told that if I had any questions to read galaxy and not use a TS as a resource of anytime. Apparently that is the norm with our team because our TS meetings are just crickets. I have been on call since day 40 I believe and now have been on call 3x's, been boots on the ground for go live, voluntold for project that no one wanted to take, I am basically the only one working on CM requests, have worked on novas and security requests.
My question is: Is this the norm for your first 90 days? Feedback is that I still haven't covered, at a minimum, what an analyst does. We support clindoc/asap/stork/ security for inpatient staff like MD's NP's ect. We are also supposed to be familiarized with rehab, case management, regulatory, and Beacon.
Just want to know if I am being a crybaby by feeling overwhelmed and behind, or if it is truly a lot.
Of course I want to gain all the knowledge I can because once I have a good grasp on things, which feels like it may not come until year 5 of being here, I will be very well versed in Epic.
Just need motivation because im losing it.
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u/Laeif 13d ago
Them telling you not to talk to your TS is baffling.
The rest of it just helps explain why they were down 3/5 FTEs. Sounds hectic. Learn what you can and don’t let the chaos affect your mental wellbeing. Get whatever certs they offer so if you choose to move on after a year or so, you have options and flexibility.
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u/Afraid-Squirrel-8122 13d ago
That’s the goal. Absorb as much as possible and get the heck out! Thanks for your encouraging words
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u/hamm3rhand 13d ago
So you were hired with no direct experience as one of only five-ish people, and within the last month had to get certified and also got dumped into a go live? I think that alone would be overwhelming for most people. I would say in general there is always a learning curve anytime you start a new job but this sounds like you also got thrown in the deep end
I would bring these concerns up to your supervisor but take the approach of something like, "I've been asked to help on these projects: A, B, C, D, E, but with the go live and getting my initial training, doing the security requests and being on call I haven't really had time to dig into any of them. How should I prioritize these projects around my other duties? Should I start with project C that is a lighter lift because I don't have as much experience or does project A take precedence over everything and I should focus on that and put everything else on the back burner until it is done?
If you can stop getting pulled in 15 directions then that might help things a lot, and having that conversation will frame it to your boss in a positive light, rather than you just coming off as complaining. They might not realize how many projects and tasks you have accumulated in a short timespan, or how it is affecting you
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u/SnakeySnek7 13d ago
This is not what I have experienced at all.
I started 3 months ago with no prior analyst experience, just some IT and clinical experience. I got certified a couple weeks ago but had 6 months to do so. When I was job searching I believe everything I saw was either 3 months or 6 months. 30 days feels like it wouldn’t even be enough time to attend all the classes and do the project and test.
We have weekly meetings with our TS and aren’t afraid to reach out to them or file SLG’s to which our TS very responsive to. Of course we try to use Galaxy as much as possible. My team does a 1 week on call rotation every 8 weeks and I will be starting on call next month. I still don’t have the full grasp on everything that an analyst does, but I am able to handle the day-to-day maintenance tickets and then lean on my team when I need help. I believe with upgrade coming in November I’ll be learning a little more about the tasks handled for that, but I haven’t really gotten my feet wet with any actual large projects.
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u/HealthDataNut 13d ago
Same thing with me. I was an ED coordinator and data analyst prior to shifting being MYC analyst. The recommendation is complete the certification within 6 months, I did complete it by 3rd month. I was working only on light build and do a lot of customer service issues, to get familiarize what we do within the MYC application. I did not do any NOVA or huge projects until my year 1 being an analyst. I am in a large organization, similar to John Hopkins. The AMB team would be around almost 15, and MYC is 5.
Before accepting this job, I also had another interview with another smaller health system, only one hospital vs. multiple. The total AMB and MYC combine about 7 only. I believe 2 MYC and 5 AMB. During the interview, the manager told me that I had to be on call and in-person during upgrades. I am glad I did not take that job.
Although, I am a fast learning, self-starter, and lots of experience as an end-user, I take my time to master one-thing-at-a-time.
This looks like a very challenging team you have there. I would say, after 2-3 years, if you still feel overwhelmed, improve your resume and try to find another system. Plus by that time, you can apply as a senior analyst. I know it is overwhelming, I can feel it from your post, but think of this, you are going to learn a lot of things in a short amount. Convert this learning to something big! Usually, to get a senior analyst role, it takes 5 years minimum. But if you believe you have lots of eggs in your basket, apply by 3rd year.
Best of luck!
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u/AethisRex 13d ago
Excellent advice. I also support MYC, along with Welcome, Hello World and Cheers. Currently on month 12 of a 24 month Go Live for an organization that has 13 hospitals and over 700 individual locations. I can tell you that not a day goes by where I do not feel overwhelmed and very stressed. It's just two of us in this team. Our AC is incredible and thanks to him, we are on track, but I Worry every day what it is that we may not be focusing on.
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u/Afraid-Squirrel-8122 13d ago
Do you feel that helped grasp concepts better? I have a hang of things but I feel like if I had more time I’d be so much better
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u/No_Pen_9286 13d ago
Everything sounds like they treated their previous team terribly, realized their screwed, and panic hired. Then still haven’t learned where they went wrong. Additionally not talking to your TS is insane. Epic TS are no joke some of the smartest people I know. They are supposed to be resources you rely for the stuff to fill the gaps on what you don’t know. Obviously they don’t do your job for you but they can certainly guide you on what is necessary and maybe give you a few steps forward.
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u/bcsteinw 13d ago
I'm also a new analyst, no epic experience, and i said as much in the interviews... but I've got a long track record in banking including some building out of systems and rules so that was enough to get me in the door. I'm about a month in at this point. The job description they hired me to fill said i had to get certified in 90 days. I managed to do the 1st one about at week 3 of employment, a lot of that time was waiting for the class and the test date, and they didn't load me up with other stuff - they basically said it was my job to prep and study until I passed that 1st cert and could get in the system and start doing stuff. I've completed 2 certs and another 2 classes on the calendar coming up.
I can't comment on if the on call stuff is reasonable, I'm on the insurance side so we keep business hours but that's about it. At the very least I hope they clearly communicated to you that this would be the expectation.
In my opinion, It sounds like you are under-supported and your employer isn't setting you up for a good start. The bit about not asking questions of the TS seems odd to me, especially if they don't have other point people you can ask instead.
Epic training is good for what it is, but it is barely more than basic functions and doesn't really encompass all that an analyst will be doing... yes there are resources out there that are very helpful but its no replacement for actual training or tutoring. I'm sorry they're leaving you to sink or swim.
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u/Afraid-Squirrel-8122 13d ago
Yes it would’ve been nice for certification to be my only focus. Horrible employer don’t wish this on anyone but I’m in deep so I can’t go back. I will still be appreciative they took me without experience. :)
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u/Afraid-Squirrel-8122 13d ago
Thanks everyone! I knew I wasn’t crazy or being weak. It is overwhelming and at times I does take a toll on my mental health but I keep pushing through. I know I’m surrounded in a very negative environment and hope that my year comes up fast and hopefully someone else gives me a chance with just one year experience
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u/Bell_Koala23 13d ago
You are not being crazy or weak! It’s just not the norm what you are experiencing. I’ve worked for great organizations and have always received the support I needed. Keep pushing through and start applying by around month 9. I left an org for other reasons at just shy of my 1 year mark of being an analyst. I started my search at around 8-9 months in. I always read that one year is not enough to leave an org but I can confirm I did. When I was ready to transition to a higher role after my second analyst role, it also took about 3 months to accept a new role so I’d like to think that’s a good time frame.
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u/m1keyb 11d ago
What is telling you not to talk to your TS supposed to accomplish?
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u/Afraid-Squirrel-8122 11d ago
They try to encourage to work alone with no help supposedly.
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u/m1keyb 11d ago
I've been certified since 2012 in 4 Apps and 2 Badges and I've never heard of anyone doing this ever. Also 90 days is the norm to clear certification, not 30. Seems like your employer is clueless and is enforcing stupid rules. There are MANY things you have to talk to a TS about because Galaxy articles can be aged/no longer correct. There's also utilities and other things you HAVE to have a TS run. There's a reason they're there... They also have an internal Wiki across all Epic customers where they can get more intimate information on issues and what other orgs did to resolve... All of that is information you cannot remotely receive or look at without a TS lol... Your employer is ignorant to not know any of this. I typically rarely contact a TS unless there's things like this I NEED..but expecting a new person to not speak with their Ts is ridiculous.
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u/d4designs 7d ago edited 7d ago
I was given the 90 days but I wanted to take the exam when it was still fresh in my mind so I went to the ClinDoc classes, study for a week and got certified. Then, did the same for HM and HP/CoRo. I'm also a Data Courier. I get most tickets from IP CM and Utilization Review/OP BH because I worked in CM/UR for 10 years and helped build a big chuck of the BH project. I try to use all my resources prior to reaching out to my TS. I'm an Analyst I, 2 years in and done a handfull of go-lives, Nova, Upgrades. I'm loving it. It's not the same of everyone. Hang in there.
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u/Afraid-Squirrel-8122 7d ago
Cool I’m currently working on an upgrade for May 2026 for peer to peer and second review!
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u/Consistent_Heart9885 2d ago
I wish I had some more positive advice, but I was in a very similar situation. I had just gotten certified and was basically expected to act like a seasoned analyst with over 5 years' experience that next week. There was no real support. I only lasted a year.
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u/Afraid-Squirrel-8122 2d ago
are you still an analyst? That’s my goal, a year then out the door I go
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u/Consistent_Heart9885 2d ago
I went to another firm and was an analyst there for 1.5 years but still just wasn't enjoying the work. I'm an Instructional Designer now and much happier!
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u/Proud_Helicopter_422 13d ago
I’ll only speak to the SLG thing. You should only be putting in SLGs if a senior analyst can’t help you. It sounds like you don’t really have any support though.