Epic’s Infection Prevention Module Faces Challenges, KLAS Research finds
A recent report by KLAS Research indicates that Epic’s infection prevention module, Bugsy, requires notable internal investment and customization to achieve optimal performance, lagging behind some best-of-breed alternatives in user satisfaction. While Epic’s overall presence in the EHR market continues to grow, its integrated infection prevention solution isn’t meeting the same standards as competitors, according to feedback from infection preventionists.
Performance Compared to Competitors
the KLAS report, released in February 2026, shows Bugsy scoring 90.8 overall across all EHR users and 87.9 among Epic-only customers. In comparison, Wolters Kluwer’s Sentri7 Infection Prevention platform, recognized as the 2026 Best in KLAS winner, achieved a score of 93.5 overall. While Epic has made progress in areas like NHSN reporting in recent years, the report highlights areas where Bugsy falls short.
Implementation Challenges and Time to Value
The report emphasizes that achieving stable and efficient workflows with Bugsy is a lengthy process. Approximately one-third of respondents reported taking over 12 months to reach a successful implementation state. One organization even reported struggling to achieve success after more than five years. The quality of the Bugsy experience is strongly correlated with the strength of an organization’s internal build team. Those who invested in dedicated analysts and maintained regular communication with IT and Bugsy teams experienced better outcomes.Training consistently emerges as a weak point, with lower satisfaction scores persisting even among long-term users.
Integration within the Epic ecosystem – the primary driver for adopting bugsy – proved more complex than anticipated. While some data connections, such as lab results, were available at go-live, nearly half of respondents reported that full integration with the patient chart was not immediately available.
Best-of-Breed Alternatives Show Strength
BD’s HealthSight Infection Advisor experienced a decline in satisfaction,with respondents citing staff turnover,reduced responsiveness,and limited innovation. VigiLanz and Wolters Kluwer continue to receive high marks,though users of both platforms desire tighter integration with Epic’s EHR. Notably, organizations switching to Bugsy from VigiLanz reported a decrease in satisfaction, as did those migrating from BD. This data suggests that the transition to Bugsy often involves a functional trade-off that organizations should carefully consider.
Key Recommendations for Successful Bugsy Implementation
The KLAS report offers several recommendations for health systems considering or currently using Bugsy:
- Early Involvement of Infection Prevention Leaders: Include infection prevention leaders in the decision-making process and ensure analysts possess deep workflow knowledge before configuring the system.
- Dedicated Resources: Allocate dedicated resources, including a Bugsy-focused analyst, additional infection preventionists, and full-time equivalents (FTEs) to address reporting and workflow gaps.
- Proactive Reporting Requirements Mapping: Map out organizational reporting requirements upfront, encompassing NHSN, communicable disease reporting, and public health reporting needs.
- Expect Customization and Maintenance: Recognize that Bugsy is not an out-of-the-box solution and will require significant customization and ongoing maintenance.
- Collaboration with Lab and Beaker Teams: Foster strong collaboration with laboratory and Beaker teams, especially for microbiology-driven functionality.
- Thorough Training: Develop a thorough training plan, especially for teams unfamiliar with Epic or EHR capabilities.
- Consistent Communication: maintain a regular meeting cadence with IT and Bugsy teams to review updates and optimize workflows.
The KLAS findings underscore the need for health systems to carefully assess the internal investment required when considering an all-Epic strategy. Successful bugsy implementations are characterized by treating the module as a long-term build project demanding dedicated expertise, sustained executive support, and the active engagement of the infection preventionists who will utilize it daily.
Source: healthsystemcio.com