The Epic Journey is a long one because our system is large and complex. Fortunately, Epic is purpose-built for how we work at UAB Medicine. It will dramatically simplify some of the most common, important, and tedious patient care tasks for providers and nurses.
One of the most noticeable upgrades will be Epic’s suite of mobile tools: Rover, Canto, and Haiku. These apps will allow patient-facing staff to access and update records, place orders, and communicate in real time from tablets and smartphones, replacing the need for a workstation or multiple devices. Some of their key features are highlighted below.
Rover (for nurses)
When Epic launches in July 2026, it will replace more than 200 applications across clinical and administrative functions. Nurses will be greatly relieved by the unified platform and the Rover app designed to support nursing workflows.
Amanda Chambers, Epic workstream lead, explains, “Rover brings the electronic health record directly to the bedside. It supports barcode scanning, documentation, and specimen collection, with complete access to current patient information in real time.”
Rover also will support clear and efficient communication. The app will allow nurses to connect with providers and other members of the care team as needed and view the same real-time information to make important care decisions. They can even communicate with the patient’s family through the app.
Patient-centered care with less hassle
All of this will be possible thanks to UAB-issued devices located on the nursing units – no more trying to find a computer on wheels. Chambers says the rollout is being designed to feel intuitive: “The nurses will badge in to the device, and it will automatically provision itself with the nurse’s specific credentials.” Plus, the device will be tailored to your unit needs, whether you work in the ICU, acute care, or a procedural space.
Just imagine making your rounds from patient to patient without walking to multiple devices or tracking down care team members (who may not have up-to-date information). This will allow our nurses to stay more focused on patient needs, not logistics.
Haiku and Canto (for physicians and APPs)
Epic’s mobile tools for physicians are Haiku (for smartphones) and Canto (for tablets). Stephen Stair, M.D., associate chief medical information officer, explains, “Both apps help providers handle key EHR functions on the go – notes, orders, results, images, and more. This is a new capability that will make a difference from day one.”
Function and benefits
Both apps access the same information and perform the same tailored work functions, Dr. Stair says, with screen size being the only difference. Some users will prefer a tablet instead of a phone. For example, reviewing images or reading longer chart notes is easier on a tablet, while order entry and quick messaging work well on a phone.
According to Dr. Stair, one major benefit for providers is improved efficiency and reduced after-hours burden. “The idea is that wherever you are, you can pull something up quickly and take care of it right then,” he said. “You don’t have to go find a desktop or log in at the clinic or hospital. It allows you to fit things in throughout your day rather than batch them up for the end.” Haiku also will be the platform for telehealth visits at all facilities and for Ambient Listening, Epic’s AI scribe solution that generates a note in real time from the visit recording.
Communication and compliance
These apps also support clinical communication across the other apps and with the desktop version of Epic. “You’ll be able to go into the chart, read notes, sign off on documentation, and even message the nurse who just updated something in Rover,” Dr. Stair said. “The mobile apps will feature Secure Chat, which will allow the provider to receive the message in the patient’s chart and submit orders in real time – right in the app.”
Furthermore, Haiku and Canto will provide downstream benefits for compliance. “If providers can handle more of their documentation in the moment, or in small gaps throughout the day, then compliance and timeliness improve,” Dr. Stair said. “And there’s less need to catch up later or clarify what happened.”
Bigger picture
Mobile access is part of a shift toward simpler, more connected workflows. “Historically, clinicians had to go into multiple different systems to get a complete picture of the patient,” Dr. Stair said. “With Epic, we’re collapsing that down into one place, and the mobile tools give you an even more immediate way to access that unified record.”
Chambers added, “This is going to be an exciting example of digital innovation enhancing patient-centered care.”