The financially strapped municipal hospital system is delaying a planned $764 million medical record-keeping system — and refuses to say how much it has spent so far.
The system, known as Epic, is operating in only two of the city’s 11 hospitals — Queens and Elmhurst — and is expected to launch at Coney Island Hospital later this month, said hospitals spokesman Robert de Luna.
He said the delay would only be a “few months.”
The original deadline for installation at 70 patient care sites across the city was the end of 2018, according to documents. Work on the project began in March 2013.
De Luna refused to confirm the original project deadline and claimed the installation is “on budget.” When asked for precise numbers, he balked.
“I am not in the Finance Department,” he responded.
He noted that Epic has also been installed at 20 off-site neighborhood health centers affiliated with Queens and Elmhurst hospitals and with the agency’s home-care service.
A source with knowledge of the roll-out said a delayed completion date will inevitably lead to higher costs.
“You can’t add time and not add budget,” the source said. “Every month the ‘go live’ date gets pushed back is costing them millions of dollars.”
De Luna contended that is not the case, but refused to provide any hard dollar amounts.
“We are moving forward at the appropriate pace to ensure the best possible result for patients and providers,” he said.
The hospital system is facing a $779 million budget deficit this year and is projected to face a $1.8 billion hole in 2020.
The agency recently axed 70 employees despite an April restructuring report that promised no layoffs.
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