St. Claire Regional Medical Center is implementing the Meditech Healthcare Information system, which includes electronic medical records, during the next 24 months. The Meditech healthcare information system will improve work flow and patient safety, provide more efficient, evidenced-based patient care, and provide for the secure electronic exchange of medical information. Just like any other record keeping, moving patients' records from paper and physical filing systems to computers and their super storage capabilities creates great efficiencies for patients and providers.
But efficiency isn't the only benefit. For individual patients, access to better care becomes easier and safer when records can easily be shared. Important information -- such as blood type, prescribed drugs, medical conditions and other aspects of our medical history -- can be accounted for much more quickly. At the very least, an existing electronic medical record (EMR) can save time at the doctor's office. At most, quick access to our records can be lifesaving if an emergency occurs and answers to those questions are needed during the emergency decision-making process.
"Electronic medical records, health information exchange and the benefits that will result are the future of healthcare," said Mark J. Neff, SCR President/CEO. "An electronic medical record alone is not enough; real-time access to medical records must go beyond the walls of each facility to all healthcare venues. Secure information exchange among all clinicians and adherence to best practices is essential to quality patient care, something St. Claire Regional truly understands and takes very seriously."
This two-year project will cost an estimated $6.5 million in software, network upgrades, hardware, and training. However, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) the federal government put forth financial incentives to encourage healthcare organizations and physicians to implement electronic medical records. SCR must have the entire Meditech system installed and show ‘meaningful use' by 2013 to receive approximately $5 million in reimbursement from the federal government.
SCR has selected a "Project Management Team" that consists of current SCR staff with diverse skill sets to lead the successful implementation of this massive project. The Project Management Team will facilitate integrated clinical processes and assure patient centered clinical practices and services that insure patient safety, resulting in exceptional quality and cost effectiveness. This team will follow a very aggressive timeline over the next two years to implement all applications successfully and promote utilization to the maximum capabilities of the system.
