How Stamford Health Transitioned to Epic Without Sacrificing Pathology Workflow

When Stamford Health made the enterprise-wide shift to Epic, their pathology department faced a familiar dilemma: would the new system support their specialized needs, or slow them down?

For Dr. Babkowski, Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medical Director at Stamford Health System, the answer was clear: "Epic with Dragon is nowhere near what Epic with VoiceOver PRO is. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. VoiceOver PRO standardizes my reporting process in a way that Epic alone cannot do. But Epic combined with PRO is wonderful. We all love it."

Keeping What Works

Stamford had long relied on VoiceOver PRO to streamline pathology reporting. So when Epic became the new enterprise system, the pathology team knew they didn’t want to lose what was already working. "We were very anxious about the Epic transition because of its reputation," Dr. Babkowski admits. "Nearby hospitals who've transitioned to Epic Beaker have had challenging experiences."

But Stamford’s experience was different. With the right support and the right tools in place, they maintained their efficiency and improved on it. 

A Smooth Transition With Minimal Time Investment

Stamford’s Voicebrook project officially began in late July 2024 and concluded in April 2025, paced primarily by the broader enterprise Epic Go Live schedule. But for pathology, the changeover felt easy.

"The support we got from Voicebrook during implementation was terrific," says Dr. Babkowski.

His colleague, Dr. Elgida Volpicelli, agrees: "Voicebrook was actually more helpful than some of the tech support we had through Epic."

Behind the scenes, the implementation required minimal disruption. With much of the setup handled by Voicebrook’s team, Stamford’s pathologists were able to stay focused on patient care.

Why It Worked

VoiceOver PRO is more than a voice dictation tool. It’s a structured reporting solution designed specifically for pathology. While Epic supports many departments, it wasn’t built with the unique needs of pathologists in mind. VoiceOver PRO fills the gap with: 

• Voice-enabled CAP eCP checklists
• Smart templating and automation
• Laterality validation for patient safety
• Fewer navigation steps, less clicking, more reporting
• Custom workflows tailored to each lab's needs

As Dr. Babkowski puts it, "PRO was by far one of the smartest decisions we've made as an organization. Frankly, it completely changed our workflow. Any pathologist that's come here and observed us—the light bulb goes on."

The Bottom Line

Stamford Health made the transition to Epic without sacrificing what mattered. By keeping VoiceOver PRO in place, they preserved the efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility their pathologists rely on every day.

"If you're going to implement Epic without PRO," says Dr. Babkowski, "you're going to wind up expending a lot of energy and a lot of time to create something that is still going to be substandard at the end."

Learn more: See how VoiceOver PRO can optimize Epic for your lab.