How to Print Med List in Epic

Printing a medication list in Epic is a common task for clinicians, nurses, and front-desk staff. Whether you need a copy for a patient, a referral, or a chart, Epic provides several ways to generate a clean, readable list. This guide walks you through the most direct method using the standard Epic interface. The exact menu names may differ slightly depending on your organization’s version of Epic and your user role, but the core steps are the same.

What You’ll Need

An active Epic user account with access to patient charts.
The patient’s chart open in Epic (you can search by name or MRN).
A configured printer or the ability to save as PDF (ask your IT team if you’re unsure).

Step-by-Step

Open the patient’s chart. Use the patient search bar at the top of Epic to find the patient by name, date of birth, or MRN. Click on the correct patient to open their chart.
Go to the Meds section. In the left-side menu of the patient’s chart, click on “Meds” (or “Medications”). This opens the medication list, which includes active, historical, and inpatient meds depending on your view.
Select the medication list view. Make sure you are on the “Active Medications” or “Outpatient Meds” tab if you want a list of current meds. If you need all meds (including discontinued), choose the “All Meds” or “History” tab. The printout will reflect only what’s visible in the current view.
Click the print icon. Look for a printer icon (usually at the top right of the Meds window) or a “Print” button. In some versions, it’s under the “Actions” button. If you don’t see a print icon, click the “Print/Export” menu (often a down arrow next to a printer icon) and select “Print”.
Choose the print format. Epic will open a print preview window. You may have options like “Medication List”, “Patient Instructions”, or “Medication History”. Select the one that best matches what you need. “Medication List” is typically the standard choice.
Adjust print settings. In the print preview, check the destination (printer or PDF). You can also choose the number of copies and page orientation. If you need to include only active meds, make sure the filter is set correctly before printing.
Click Print. After confirming the settings, click the “Print” button in the preview window. If you selected “Save as PDF”, choose a location on your computer and save the file.
Verify the output. After printing or saving, check that the medication list includes the patient’s name, date of birth, medication names, doses, and instructions. If anything is missing, go back and adjust the view or filters.

Common Mistakes

Printing the wrong view. If you leave the view on “Inpatient Meds” when the patient is outpatient, the list may be empty or incomplete. Always check the tab you’re on.
Not including the patient’s name. Some print formats omit the patient header. Use the “Medication List with Header” option if available, or manually write the patient’s name on the printout.
Printing a list with discontinued meds. If you need only current meds, make sure the “Active” filter is applied. Otherwise, the list will be cluttered with old meds.
Forgetting to save as PDF. If you need to email the list, don’t print to paper—use the “Save as PDF” option to create a digital file.

Tips

Use the “Print/Export” menu for more options. This menu often includes “Export to Excel” or “Save as PDF”, which can be useful for sharing the list electronically.
Customize the columns. In some versions of Epic, you can right-click on the column headers in the Meds list to add or remove columns (e.g., prescriber, last fill date). This can make the printout more informative.
Use the “Patient Instructions” format for patient handouts. This format is designed to be patient-friendly, with plain language and larger text.
Check if your organization has a specific print button. Some clinics add a custom “Print Med List” button to the toolbar for one-click printing. Look for it before using the generic print icon.

Troubleshooting

No print icon appears. Try clicking on the “Actions” button (usually a gear or down arrow) at the top right of the Meds window. If that doesn’t work, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) to open the browser’s print dialog, but note that this may not format the list properly.
The printout is blank. This usually happens when the medication list is empty because the patient has no meds in the current view. Switch to a different tab (e.g., “All Meds”) to see if there are any meds at all.
The printout is cut off. Adjust the page orientation to landscape in the print preview, or change the scale to “Fit to Page”. This often solves the issue of long medication names being truncated.
Can’t find the patient’s meds. If the med list is empty but you know the patient takes medications, check if the meds were reconciled. Go to the “Reconcile” tab to see if there are unreconciled meds that need to be accepted.
Print button is grayed out. This can happen if you don’t have the proper security access to print. Contact your Epic superuser or IT department to check your role’s permissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print a med list for a patient who is not currently in the system?

No, you must have an active patient chart in Epic. If the patient is not in the system, you’ll need to create a new encounter or contact your registration team.

How do I print a med list for a patient without a printer?

Use the “Save as PDF” option instead of printing to paper. You can then email the PDF or save it to the patient’s chart.

Can I print a med list that includes only the meds I’ve prescribed?

Yes, but you’ll need to filter the list by prescriber. In the Meds list, look for a filter icon (funnel) and select your name from the prescriber dropdown.

Why doesn’t my med list show the pharmacy information?

Pharmacy details (like pharmacy name and phone number) are not always included in the standard medication list printout. You may need to use the “Medication History” format or check the “Pharmacy” tab in the chart.

Can I print a med list in a different language?

Epic supports multiple languages, but the printout language depends on the patient’s preferred language setting in their chart. If the patient’s language is set to Spanish, for example, the med list may print in Spanish if your organization has that configured.

How do I print a med list for a patient who is in the hospital?

For inpatient meds, go to the “Inpatient Meds” tab in the Meds section. The print process is the same, but make sure you’re on the correct tab to capture the active inpatient orders.

Sources: Epic Systems. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.