Wellness Prescribed: Activating Holistic Care through EHR-embedded SmartPhrases

Abstract

Universities have expanded counseling capacity in response to rising student mental health needs, yet limited access, fragmented discovery, and weak follow-through remain persistent barriers. Institutions offer non-clinical wellness support, but student awareness and use remain low. We present a case-study describing the development of an EPIC SmartPhrase-enabled wellness activation model using provider-centered design methods. We examine how provider-initiated, EHR-embedded SmartPhrase templates can extend non-prescriptive wellness recommendations beyond the clinical encounter. Our template integrates with documentation workflows to insert curated collections of campus-supported resources into after-visit summaries and deliver them to a campus mobile platform. Designed for minimal workflow disruption, the design supports rapid selection of bundled resources tied to common care touchpoints. Using workflow analysis, provider interviews, and participatory co-design workshops, we refined a low-friction approach aligned with clinical documentation norms and argue that EHR-embedded wellness activation reframes digital tools as care continuity infrastructure rather than standalone resources.

Manas Bedmutha

Ph.D. Candidate

Nadir Weibel

Professor of Computer Science and Engineering