Epic is one of the largest technology investments your organization will make. Timelines typically run twelve to eighteen months, and decisions made during the project cascade through nearly every workflow across the organization for years to come.
Most implementation struggles are caused by gaps in readiness, unclear governance, under-scoped integration work, and design decisions made without enough grounding in how your organization actually operates.
Canopii exists to close those gaps. We lead implementations in partnership with you and Epic, using Epic’s recommended methodology and the lessons of having led or supported numerous similar initiatives.
A focused engagement to assess current state, evaluate operational and technical readiness, align governance, and define the strategic roadmap before build begins.
Steering committee structure, workgroup design, escalation paths, and communication cadence so decisions move quickly and the right voices are in the room.
Future-state workflow design across enrollment, benefits, claims, utilization management, care management, provider data, and member experience, translated into Epic configuration decisions.
Interface design, data conversion planning, Epic-to-Epic connections with provider networks, and ADT, eligibility, and claims feed architecture.
Unit testing, integrated testing, user acceptance, role-based training, cutover planning, and command center support through go-live and stabilization.
Continued support after go-live to resolve workflow friction, measure against KPIs, and stabilize the organization on the new platform.
Before the formal implementation project kick-off, Canopii partners with your team on a pre-implementation engagement that sets the foundation for everything that follows. Our approach brings together people, process, and technology, because an Epic implementation is much more than an IT project. It is an opportunity to transform your organization to operate more effectively and to position it for long-term success. By the end of the engagement, your team has a clear picture of where the organization stands, where the gaps are, and what the path to a successful implementation actually looks like.
Identify executive and functional area sponsors, define steering committee structure, and establish the decision-making framework that will carry the organization through implementation.
Document existing operations, supporting technologies, workflows, and integration points.
Map target workflows against Epic capabilities to identify the operational changes that will deliver the most value.
Develop the phased roadmap, risk mitigation plan, and stakeholder communication strategy that carries the organization from kickoff through go-live.
The pre-implementation engagement produces a clear go-forward plan for the project, with risks named, mitigations in place, and the organization aligned on scope, timeline, and governance. Most payers that skip this phase pay for it later in rework, scope drift, or missed go-live dates.
Canopii follows and aligns with Epic’s recommended implementation methodology, adapted for the operational realities of a health plan or MCO. Each phase has clear deliverables, decision gates, and ownership.
Project mobilization, kickoff, and workflow discovery across every in-scope department. Existing documentation is collected, external stakeholder requirements are captured, and the detailed project plan is finalized. Epic’s implementation team is engaged early so best practices and technical services support are built into the schedule from day one.
Workshops translate business needs into Epic build specifications, using Epic’s Foundation System as a baseline. Interface specifications, data conversion mappings, and security roles are defined and signed off by operational owners and IT.
Configuration of Tapestry, Payer Platform, Healthy Planet/Compass Rose, and related modules in the build environment. Parallel work on interfaces, Epic-to-Epic connections with provider networks, and data conversion. Regular validation sessions with end users confirm the build meets the design.
Unit testing, integrated testing across modules, parallel claims testing, and interface and performance testing where volume warrants it. User acceptance testing is completed with the operational staff who will actually use the system.
Role-based curriculum for every user group, from member services and UM nurses to provider office staff. A train-the-trainer model is used where possible, with super-users identified early to support their peers at go-live.
Cutover planning, command center support, at-elbow user assistance, and tight communication with operational leadership through the go-live window. Escalation paths run to Canopii, Epic technical services, and internal leads so issues move quickly.
Continued support in the weeks and months after go-live to resolve workflow friction, tune configurations, and measure performance against the KPIs defined during planning.
Epic implementation success depends on the quality and experience of the people involved. Canopii brings a team built specifically to bring this level of expertise to payer implementations, grounded in Epic’s own methodologies, and structured to serve as an extension of your organization.
Brent Benner served as Director of Product Management for Payer Solutions at Epic, where he led the development of the Epic Tapestry application.
Most Epic consulting firms are focused on supporting provider organizations. Canopii was purpose-built for health plans and MCOs. We understand the difference between a commercial plan, a provider-sponsored health plan, and how managed care organizations operate, and we design accordingly.
Consulting services, managed services, and the Catalyst workforce development program combine so your organization can staff the right way for the right phase, and build durable internal capability along the way.
Implementation delivered within the planned timeline and budget, with scope and risk actively managed from discovery through stabilization.
Automation across enrollment, authorization, claims, and provider data reduces manual touchpoints and lowers cost per transaction.
Organizations using the Epic Payer Platform have reported over half of prior authorizations completed instantly through automation, with significant reductions in denial rates.
Shared Epic infrastructure between payer and provider reduces friction, lowers appeal rates, and speeds care decisions.
MyChart becomes the single place members manage coverage, benefits, health information, and provider communication.
Canopii’s implementation practice is built for health plans and managed care organizations preparing for, in the middle of, or stabilizing post-Epic implementation.
Plans affiliated with a health system already on Epic can extend the existing environment into Tapestry and Payer Platform, accelerating build and integration.
The Epic Payer Suite has a lot of momentum with regional and commercial health plans implementing the Epic Payer Platform for interoperability with provider organizations, or the Epic Payer Suite as a core admin or medical management system. Unlike most core admin or medical management system implementations, traditional IT partners lack the experience with Epic to serve as a true partner on these projects. With the largest active roster of Epic Tapestry and Payer Platform experts and deep Epic connections, Canopii is well positioned to serve as the primary system integrator for these complex initiatives.
Managed care organizations are increasingly turning to the Epic Payer Platform to unify clinical and administrative data, streamline claims and authorization workflows, and create a more seamless experience for members and providers. By aligning more closely with the provider system already running Epic, payers can reduce friction in prior authorization, improve data transparency, and accelerate value-based care initiatives, all while lowering administrative costs. Canopii is uniquely positioned to support this transformation given its deep bench of Epic-certified talent, flexible delivery models, and proven expertise in both payer and provider environments.
Most implementations run between twelve and eighteen months from kickoff to go-live, with the specific timeline driven by scope, whether the organization is a new Epic install or extending an existing environment, and the complexity of data conversion and integration.
The pre-implementation engagement is typically an eight to twelve-week readiness effort that assesses current state, establishes governance, defines future-state workflows, and produces the implementation roadmap. It is not technically required, but organizations that skip it typically pay for it later in rework and missed milestones. Canopii strongly recommends it as the first step to help ensure a successful implementation and go-live.
Yes. Epic’s implementation team provides methodology, technical services, and their own “Good Install” guidance. Canopii partners with Epic throughout, and our role is to translate Epic’s approach into the operational reality of the payer organization, fill the gaps Epic does not cover, and serve as an extension of the client’s team.
Canopii specializes in the Epic Payer Suite: Tapestry, Payer Platform, Healthy Planet, MyChart, Epic CRM, and EpicCare Link. We also support provider revenue cycle applications where implementations span payer and provider workflows. Our consultants can support all Epic applications, with the deepest bench in the payer domain.
Yes. Canopii is regularly brought in mid-project to stabilize governance, re-scope where needed, strengthen build and testing, and bring the implementation to a successful go-live.
