The Problem with Traditional Epic Check-In

We are semi-experts on Epic Check-In as we utilize Optum for our healthcare and UNH. Last time just discussing the check-in process with my nurse raised my blood pressure by 20 points.

Thedacare provides a nice template for improving check-in. Just providing a web login isn’t a good check-in. We note the kiosks appear to be from Olea Kiosks.

Executive Summary (What Matters)

From EpicShare — By redesigning patient arrival around Epic Welcome kiosks, MyChart mobile check-in, and staff-assisted self-service, ThedaCare doubled daily visit volume, eliminated check-in wait times, and reached top-quartile patient satisfaction—without adding registration staff.

This is not a technology story alone. It is a workflow and behavioral design success, enabled by Epic but driven by physical layout, staff role changes, and patient education.

1. What ThedaCare Actually Changed (Operationally)

Before (Common Epic Environment)

Digital check-in existed (MyChart, Hello Patient)
Patients still defaulted to the front desk
Kiosks were present but not visually dominant
Registration staff remained transaction-focused

After (Digital Arrival Model)

Front desk removed as the primary entry point
Self-service Welcome kiosks placed at every entrance
Staff redeployed as arrival concierges, not clerks
Patients given three equivalent check-in paths:
1. MyChart mobile check-in (Hello Patient)
2. Epic Welcome kiosks
3. Assisted self-check-in (staff-guided)

Key insight: Digital tools alone don’t change behavior. Spatial design and staff signaling do.

2. Epic Capabilities Used (and How They Were Positioned)

This model works because it leverages existing Epic functionality, not custom development.

Epic Tools in Play

Epic Welcome – self-service kiosk application
MyChart – mobile pre-arrival and on-site check-in
Hello Patient – geolocation-based arrival confirmation
Cadence / Prelude – appointment + registration workflows (implicit)

Critical Difference

ThedaCare didn’t just enable these tools—they re-ordered the arrival journey so digital check-in was the first and most obvious action.

3. Why Patient Satisfaction Increased (Beyond “Shorter Waits”)

Research shows waiting time strongly impacts satisfaction—but ThedaCare’s results go further.

What Patients Responded To

Control – “Let me do this myself”
Optional help – assistance without pressure or embarrassment
Privacy – no public front-desk conversations
Certainty – clear confirmation that check-in is complete

By June 2025:

66% kiosk check-in
27% mobile (Hello Patient)
7% face-to-face
Zero reported check-in wait times
89% Press Ganey top-box score (96th percentile)

4. Staffing Model: The Hidden Win

What Changed for Registration Teams

No longer “gatekeepers”
Became digital guides and problem solvers
Supported patients only when needed
Handled 2× visit volume with the same headcount

Actionable Lesson

If your Epic kiosk rollout increases staff anxiety, you’ve framed the role wrong.
This works when staff are positioned as helpers, not replacements.

5. Implementation Playbook

Phase 1: Prove It

Use a new or redesigned facility as a test bed
Eliminate the front desk as the visual default
Place kiosks directly in the line of sight

Phase 2: Train Before Go-Live

Introduce Welcome + Hello Patient before opening
Run open houses and walkthroughs
Train staff on when to step in—and when not to

Phase 3: Normalize Digitally

Bake check-in education into scheduling calls
Reinforce via reminders and signage
Ensure the same options exist across specialties

Phase 4: Scale

Expand once behavior stabilizes
Monitor self-service mix, not just adoption
Measure arrival-to-room time, not kiosk usage alone

6. Why This Matters for Epic Customers Today

For Epic organizations struggling with:

Registration bottlenecks
Staffing shortages
Patient experience scores
Underused kiosks or mobile check-in

ThedaCare proves the constraint is not Epic—it’s arrival design.

Epic already supports this model. The differentiator is how intentionally it’s deployed.

Bottom Line

ThedaCare didn’t “add kiosks.”
They replaced the front desk with a digital arrival strategy, powered by Epic and validated by patient behavior.

If you’re evaluating kiosks, mobile check-in, or “digital front door” initiatives in Epic, this case is best viewed as a workflow transformation blueprint, not a technology success story.

More Resources

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