Posted by Willy Franzen on February 6, 2009. Jobs updated daily.
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My Dad is an architect, and he often likes to send me suggestions on which companies I should feature next. Sometimes he finds some pretty cool stuff, and a month or so ago he sent me a link to the Winter 2009 online issue of HQ Magazine, which features an article called “Top 20 Places to Work.” Usually such lists focus on a range of reasons for a place’s being great to work at, but HQ is an architectural publication, so this list is all about office space (not the movie). The section of the article on Epic Systems says: “Epic’s campus fits into idyllic pastures and farmland, providing serene, relaxing views from within. Outside are hiking trails, playing fields, a treehouse. Meeting rooms have working fireplaces to further the sense of calmness.” It sounds amazing. Epic systems is a Wisconsin based, privately held, employee owned healthcare software provider.
Epic Systems only has 170 clients, but “they are some of the most respected organizations in healthcare.” Epic’s software apparently makes the patient experience a lot better, but until it makes waiting rooms obsolete, I’m not quite sold. Basically, what Epic’s software does is that it records every touch that a patient has with a healthcare provider. The information is kept securely, but in a way that allows patients to access it when they need it. Epic Systems provides a product that keeps doctors, nurses, and patients fully informed about what’s going on. We all know that the healthcare industry is a mess, but it’s also growing rapidly. Epic Systems seems to be taking advantage of this environment by making a product that makes healthcare better for all parties involved.
Here’s a sample situation from Epic’s website:
Imagine this: you’re from Dallas, but you’re on vacation in Seattle. Shortly after trying some of the free samples at the fish market, you come down with something nasty and end up in the Emergency Room. You can’t remember the names of the medications you’re taking at home, but you mention to the doctor that you’re normally seen at Black Springs Clinic in the Dallas area. The doctor in the ER is able to access your chart from the clinic without the need to place a call or retrieve a fax. Your ER doctor sees not only the specific medications and doses you were last prescribed at home, but also that you’re allergic to Iodine, preventing a potentially severe reaction during your care.
You get back on your feet after a few hours in the ER and are given a couple medications and a recommendation to see your doctor at home once you’re back from vacation. While still in Seattle, you pull out your laptop and are able to send a secure message to your physician in Dallas, letting him know briefly what happened. You also sign up for a follow-up appointment for when you return. When you arrive, your doctor has access to your clinic chart, as well as the information documented during your visit to the ER in Seattle.
Sounds pretty great.
Epic may have only made the list of Top Places to Work because of their building, but they look like they belong on any general list of the best places to work. Their Careers site is loaded with information – especially the Life and Work section. We could go on and on about how cool it looks to work at Epic, but you’re better off checking it out on your own (start by taking a tour of their campus). Epic allows you to browse their jobs by both Career Type and Educational Background; however, I prefer to look at their listing of all available positions. The jobs are insanely easy to scan for entry level positions, so there’s no need for me to list them here, and you can apply online. Although they are a software company, they have job openings in areas that include Accounting, Biotechnology, Botany, Consulting, HR, IT, Project Management, Writing, and, of course, Software Development.
Links to Help You Begin Your Research
What do you think of Epic’s Campus.
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I interviewed at Epic a few years ago (pre-fantastic campus, although I saw the plans- the treehouse was planned to have cellphone blocking to maintain the peace!). Everyone was incredibly friendly and enthusiastic about the company, and I met a LOT of people. They have a ton of neat employee friendly programs (just one… they have tons of great art on the walls, chosen by employees).
I was interviewing for entry level consulting. The process was comprehensive but nothing particularly weird or “gotcha” about the interviews. I was offered the job but took something else and I always feel wistful when I read about Epic!
Nicole,
Don’t feel wistful. Feel very,very glad that you avoided the sewer that is Epic Systems. The campus draws a lot of people. It seems cool until you start working here and you realize that you either a) Never see it because you spend 65 hours a week in airports or b) You work in the office 65 hours a week and come to hate the sight of every fruity, ugly item of art on the wall.
After almost four years, I still have not figured out if management is clueless, lazy, or truly sadistic, but the company is run by a bunch of ex-programmers with no leadership or social skills who micromanage every project into the ground until you spend more time filling out tracking spreadsheets than you do actually working on your projects.
Deadlines are insane and do not give QA adequate time to test the software, so the products are buggy as hell. The largest customers are given preferential treatment to the point of being able to request free change orders on ridiculous timelines. People get sick of working here, leave, and are replaced by a bunch of people who are given little or no training on how to do their job. Just when they actually start learning enough to be useful, they burn out and quit and so the process starts all over again…
Run. Run far away. Tell your friends to run far away. If you have friends who work here, kidnap them and hire a cult de-programmer. They might need it.
Just to verify, the previous comment was posted from an Epic Systems IP address, so it does seem to be from an actual employee. With that said, it’s only one point of view, so be sure to do some more research to get a full idea of what Epic is really like.
I’ve only been here for 8 months and am already looking for the exit – the post from “Epic Peon” is quite accurate, and I would encourage anyone interested in working here to look at other forums like JobVent. If you have any talent or ambition, or expect a modicum of management competence in a company, you would be better off looking elsewhere for employment.
Well if your out there in this economy and am looking for a job period then 65 hours a week sounds good. But so does putting food opn your table. I’m going to school now for Health Information Management Technology and I am already looking for a position in a company that works in the field I’m training in. So if you don’t like it there then leave. I believe the exit door is the same one you walked in when you were hired. Jobs are hard to come by now so unless you don’t have one then you don’t know how important it is for “us” real people to get good grades and hope that any place in our field is willing to hire “us” when we graduate.
As an Epic “client” (Hospital), I have been to Epic for training, and have dealt with the company and their people extensively. Some of their employees love it; some hate it (just like any other company).
If you’re fresh out of school, dynamic, upbeat, and pretty smart, you might enjoy the challenge. It’s also good experience and can help open doors. But, it’s not for everyone. It’s very hard work and can require many long hours and a lot of travel. It’s true that some Epic people burn out. Those that stay are well-rewarded. You’ll notice that the average age of Epic staff is low because Epic prefers to recruit people who are fresh out of college (lower pay expectations & more “trainable”).
In response to Jim’s comment, I would have to say that people are willing to do anything it takes to put food on the table. And, they are willing to make sacrifices to get experience. But, if there are other opportunities that have normal work hours and don’t require tons of OT and travel, they might be more likely to choose them.
Bah, people are so negative about Epic. It was a great place to come out of school with a liberal arts degree and learn something that’s paid dividends throughout my career. I stayed at Epic for 3.5 years in one of those dreaded implementation jobs. Yes, I worked 50-60 hours a week with occasional spikes (people going above 60 on a regular basis are either not capable of time management or counting flight time as work time). Yes, I was burned out, when I left…But I learned a ton about the industry, general management of staff and projects, and lots of other intangible skills that are tough to get with your normal out-of-college entry level jobs.
After moving to a 40-hr-per-week job (and getting bored out of my mind after the euphoria of free time wore off), I decided to go to grad school, and my Epic experience led to a 6 figure consulting gig which is financing the degree I’ll begin next year. Overall, I consider my Epic experience truly valuable – it’s not for everyone, but it’s not the terror everyone seems to think.
I am little late to the show, but the great thing about working at Epic itself is how many people past employees can walk into the consulting market. Yes it is a year wait, but there is at least one firm that is 90% ex Epic employees and healthcare firms seem to jump at consultants that were previous Epic employees.
I posted a very long rant about my time at Epic. Take a read :-)