Emory Hillandale Sets Precedent with Full Apple-Epic Integration Across Hospital

The move signals a notable shift in digital healthcare operations, embedding technology across all clinical and patient-facing processes.

Emory Healthcare has designated Emory Hillandale Hospital as the first hospital in the United States to be fully powered by Apple devices and integrated with Epic’s electronic health record (EHR) system. 

The move signals a notable shift in digital healthcare operations, embedding technology across all clinical and patient-facing processes.

“Emory Hillandale is the first hospital in the nation to integrate Apple devices and Epic across the entire continuum of care, from registration to discharge,” said Ravi I. Thadhani, MD, MPH, executive vice president for health affairs at Emory University.

Clinicians at Emory Hillandale are now using iMacs, iPads, iPhones, and Apple Watches with Epic’s suite of applications. The integration aims to streamline workflows, reduce the documentation burden, and improve patient interaction.

“Deploying Apple products with Epic apps throughout the hospital offers efficiency and mobility to our clinical teams while saving time, providing patients the undivided attention they deserve,” said Joon S. Lee, MD, CEO of Emory Healthcare. “This transformation allows our providers to focus on what they do best, delivering exceptional, compassionate care.”

The implementation includes iPhones equipped with Epic’s Rover app, which nurses use to record vitals and manage medication administration. Each patient room is fitted with an iMac to facilitate bedside documentation and an iPad that gives patients direct access to care plans, meal ordering, and communication tools via Epic’s MyChart Bedside app.

Wall-mounted iPads outside patient rooms display critical safety data such as allergy alerts or fall risk indicators, supporting real-time care coordination.

“At Apple, we believe in technology’s power to improve lives. We’re thrilled that Emory Hillandale Hospital is using Apple products to deliver exceptional care, because doctors and nurses should have the best technology in the world to serve their patients,” said Sumbul Desai, MD, vice president of health at Apple.

The groundwork for this digital shift was laid in 2024, when Emory Healthcare became the first health system in the U.S. to operate Epic at scale on Mac systems.

“Clinicians want tools that help them work more efficiently, spend more time with patients, and reduce administrative burden — and supporting their preferred devices is key,” said Seth Howard, executive vice president of research and development at Epic.

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