The Erlanger Health System board on Thursday night approved a complete overhaul of the facility's outdated information technology system.
It will come at a high cost - $97,354,433 for operating expense and $91,057,803 for capital expense over a 10-year period.
However, Britt Tabor, finance director, said it would be even more costly to deal with the current Siemens system, that he said would have to have numerous patches.
The purchase is from the Epic software firm.
Tish Ingalls, who negotiated the deal, said 100 percent of Erlanger physicians wanted to go with Epic.
She said it was a patient care issue, "At the bedside you do not want doctors and nurses to be working with a system that is out of date."
Officials said under the current system that patients often have to fill out duplicative information - on different computers.
Mr. Spiegel said Erlanger will add some 100 employees to work with the new system, and Epic will bring in another 100 to implement it.
Ms. Ingalls said updates are included in the purchase cost.
Mr. Spiegel said the move "will take the hospital to the next level."
The board also approved moving to the Prudential firm for the pension and defined benefit plans.
Gregg Gentry said the hospital will realize a savings over 40 percent, and he said employees will also benefit.