North Shore Health weighs EHR options, potential partnerships
North Shore Health is exploring options for a new electronic health record system while also considering adding another partnership to its existing network.
The hospital currently uses MEDITECH for its electronic health record system. However, Epic Systems, based in Madison, Wisconsin, has become increasingly prevalent across Minnesota and the broader Midwest.
“I think North Shore Health has two options,” North Shore Health CEO, Kimber Wraalstad told WTIP. “One will be either MEDITECH, because it’s what we already have, and we’ll just upgrade with what they have, or it’ll be Epic, because there are a lot of places in Minnesota that have Epic.”
Sawtooth Mountain Clinic began using Epic in the fall of 2025. The widespread use of the system could make it easier to share information across providers, but adopting Epic would require additional partnerships.
“If you choose to have Epic, there are a lot more questions and a lot more opportunities, because we as nursery health could never purchase epic on our own,” Wraalstad said. “They don’t sell to small facilities. You have to have a partner. That goes to the discussion about that strategic partnership.”
Wraalstad said adopting Epic would require joining a Community Connect program, in which a larger organization acts as an intermediary between North Shore Health, Epic and other hospitals.
Upgrading MEDITECH would not require joining such a program.
North Shore Health already works with more than a dozen partners. During the March board meeting, Wraalstad reviewed those relationships, which range from local providers such as Sawtooth Mountain Clinic to service networks like Wilderness Health and technology vendors including MEDITECH.
Board Chair Randy Wiitala has emphasized the importance of the hospital’s “big rock items,” including selecting a new electronic health record system and managing key partnerships. In this case, those priorities appear to be closely connected.
WTIP spoke with Wiitala and Wraalstad following the March board meeting. Audio of that conversation is available below.
Josh Hinke March 31, 2026
