NextGen EPM Phase 2 Training and Go-live

As the WellStar Medical Group continues with its conversion to electronic medical records, training sessions have started for Phase 2 of the NextGen EPM (electronic practice management) go-live scheduled for Friday, April 1, 2011. The training sessions, being held now through Friday, March 25, 2011, include clinical scheduling, check-in and check-out processes for the following WellStar Medical Group practices:

East Paulding Pediatrics; North Cobb Women’s Health; Northwest Women’s Care; Cousins and Cantrell; Medical Specialists; South Cobb OB/GYN – Austell; South Cobb OB/GYN – Douglasville; Creekside Pediatrics; KenMar Pediatrics – Marietta; KenMar Pediatrics – Acworth; Kennestone Pediatric Associates; North Cobb Pediatrics; North Douglas OB/GYN – Douglasville; North Douglas OB/GYN – Villa Rica; Pediatric and Adolescent Center – Austell; Pediatric and Adolescent Center – Smyrna; Pediatric Professionals Pediatrics at Brookstone; Thoracic Surgery Associates – Marietta; Towne Lake Pediatrics.

All individuals working in scheduling, check-in and check-out at the locations above must be trained prior to the April 1 go-live.


There are four roles that team members may fall into:

1. Clinical Scheduling: All that this person needs to know is how to schedule an appointment.

• Clinical scheduling is a HALF day class.

2. Check-In: This person is the main person responsible for getting the patient in the system and ready to go for the nurse. They may schedule, put patient demographics in the system, put patient insurance information in the system, scan insurance cards or drivers license and collect co-pays.

• Check-In is a FULL day class

3. Check-Out: This person will enter the charges in the system or verify charges coming over from EMR. This person will also run some claim edits and need to make corrections to the charge before the claim creates. If your team member falls into the “check-out” role, they will also need to attend the “check-in” class PRIOR to the check-out class, so they understand the flow of the system from the start to finish.

• Check-Out is also a FULL day class

4. Billing staff: These team members are the only individuals who  need to take the advanced training, which covers all billing office functions. Advanced training is offered for the billers a few weeks post go-live.

• Advanced training for billing staff is a FULL day class

Click here for a complete schedule of training sessions and team member roles.

Classroom training for each module is being held at the Kennesaw State University Center for University Learning (3333 Busbee Drive, Suite 172, Kennesaw, GA 30144). This is Building 33 in the lower-left corner of the map. Click here to view the map.

All participants should register for classes by calling 770-956-STAR (7827).

Practice managers who have any questions on team member registration can contact Kathryn Glass at 770-956-6637 or kathryn.glass@wellstar.org.