Healthcare IT News - November 2008 - (Page 29)

www.himss.org October 2008 I The HIMSS Insider 29 2008 HIMSS Davies Awards of Excellence Recipients Private Practices Utilize IT Innovation to Enhance Patient Care WELCOME PLATINUM NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS Versatile Systems Inc. Versatile Systems Inc. creates software that extends their customers back office to the most distant end point–the mobile worker. www.versatile.com T he HIMSS Nicholas E. Davies Awards of Excellence Program recognizes excellence in the implementation and use ofhealth information technology, specifically electronic health records (EHRs),for healthcare organizations, private practices,public health entities,and community health organizations.The three recipients ofthe 2008 Davies Ambulatory Award demonstrate how an EHR is essential to improving a practice's daily operations, including workflow and finances,while supporting clinicians' mission ofenhancing patient safety and providing quality care. e-mail reminders for appointments, will continue to grow patient satisfaction and enhance office efficiencies. Oklahoma Arthritis Center Persystent Technologies Persystent Technologies provides the most powerful software solutions for automated PC repair, highspeed imaging, compliance and disaster recovery for both traditional and virtual PC environments. www.persystent.com Dr. Samuel Lederman of Palm Beach OB/GYN shows his "mock patient," Davies Ambulatory Chair Nancy Babbitt, her lab status on the screen. Palm Beach (Fla.) Obstetrics and Gynecology PA Located in Lake Worth (Palm Beach County),Fla.,Palm Beach Obstetrics and Gynecology PA,is a full-service OB/GYN practice ofsix providers working within two offices and four hospitals.The practice began with a single practitioner and a single office. Expansion increased the practice's organizational challenges and the issues the old software package could not handle.With an EHR,the practice hoped to eliminate paper charts and errors in reviewing labs and radiology reports,reduce delays in obtaining and acting on patient results,eliminate incomplete documentation for billing,decrease human resources devoted to medical records Cardiology Consultants of Philadelphia and make the office more environmentally Cardiology Consultants ofPhiladelphia friendly by decreasing paper waste. (CCP) is the second largest cardiology pracOnce an EHR was selected,the practice tice in the country,with 21 locations extendbegan by replacing its current computerized ing over four counties.Its nearly 80 physibilling and collections system with a new cians are on staffat 22 hospitals and intermodule,followed by adding a scheduling face with three university health systems. component and then the EHR.StaffattendCCP's office sites are geographically distant ed weekly trainings;each week,two or three from each other and have tasks to master were chosen. contained patient popula“Superusers”became trainThe three recipients of tions.Each site achieved ing resources for the rest of the 2008 Davies go-live separately from the the staff.According to the Ambulatory Award rest ofthe practice so as to practice's software vendor, demonstrate how an not overload the limited the practice ranks among the EHR is essential to training resources.In addihighest in terms ofsuccessimproving a practice's tion,trained stafffrom ful implementation.Staff daily operations, established EHR sites travmorale is high,record-level including workflow eled to other offices to revenue and decreased overand finances, while assist with transition.As head have been achieved. supporting clinicians' each site went live,valuable Staffeven serve as consultmission ofenhancing lessons were learned. ants assisting several local patient safety and During the first two “go practices that want additional providing quality care. lives,”physicians were setup and training or have allowed to “opt-out,”or stalled in their own impledelay their conversion to the EHR.As noted mentations.The practice’s plans for system in CCP's Davies Award application,this expansion include expanding the patient resulted in “confusion and breakdown ofthe portal Web site.Enhancing electronic comperception ofa unified goal.”In subsequent munication directly with the patient,such as Nyhavn, part of the original Copenhagen Harbor “go lives,”everyone in those sites participated in the EHR roll-out.As sites completed implementation,the process became much more streamlined and efficient. When deciding to adopt an EHR,CCP's Board ofDirectors had suggested improved patient care,reduced filing and transcription costs,reduced malpractice exposure and costs and analysis ofindividual and group practice patterns as just a few ofthe many benefits ofan EHR;those benefits have been realized.CCP completed its 21 office EHR implementation within its scheduled timeframe,an achievement they are proud of.Looking ahead,CCP plans to investigate a PACS solution for digital storage and manipulations ofimages,as well as a secured e-mail messaging solution. I The recipients of the 2008 Davies Award in the public health category will be profiled in next month's HIMSS Insider. Visit www.himss.org/ davies for more information on the Davies Award, to view all award winning applications and to apply to become a Davies Committee member. CONTRIBUTING TO THE The following individuals generously contributed to the HIMSS Foundation in September. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. Regular THANK YOU FOR Susan K. Barnes, MCSE Adam Birnbaum Thompson H. Boyd III, MD, CPHIMS Jim Denny Amy Jacobs Amy Leopard, JD, MHSA Joseph Miller, FHIMSS Pamela Montelongo Frank C. Overfelt, FHIMSS, FACHE Miriam Paramore Richard A. Perrin Susan Pouzar Carol R. Selvey, MHSA, FHIMSS Hidenori Shinoda Jonathan M. Teich, MD, PhD, FHIMSS, FACMI Randy L. Thomas, FHIMSS Stephen A. Wood, FHIMSS Michael H. Zaroukian, MD, PhD, FACP For more information or to make a contribution, please contact Erica Pantuso, VP Member Services, HIMSS, at epantuso@himss.org or 312-915-9277. PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.VISITCOPENHAGEN.COM The Oklahoma Arthritis Center (OAC) in Edmond specializes in treating patients with arthritis and related conditions; clinical staffincludes three physicians,two physician assistants and two nurses.OAC viewed EHR implementation as its first step in preparing for health information exchange (HIE) and,thus,ensuring continuity ofcare within the practice.Staffrecognized they needed to have a vision for the clinic's future, one which the system would support.This potential growth included integration with ancillary services. OAC's EHR implementation began with e-prescribing and note documentation,followed by roll-out ofthe system's order entry, result retrieval and charge entry modules. The EHR now supports OAC's expansion that includes an onsite laboratory,a radiology department and a larger infusion suite. OAC's implementation plan was based on theory success could only be achieved “at the right time,with the right team and with the right system.”As noted in its Davies Award application,OAC's success was dependent on three main factors:1) Attitude:staffhad a positive attitude and applied motivational principles on a daily basis;2) Responsiveness:motivational posters throughout the office kept staff focused on the “end goal”and reminded them frustrations oftransition were temporary;and 3) Flexibility:staffrecognized a flexible implementation plan and expectations were essential.OAC has found many benefits from implementing its EHR,such as increased efficiency and better time management.Less time spent searching for paper charts and completing paperwork means more time with their patients. To learn more about the benefits of corporate membership, visit www.himss.org or contact HIMSS Senior Director of Business Development Kelly Laidler at klaidler@himss.org or 312-915-9285. Congressional Update: 110th Congress ends Legislators plan for 2009 Although Congress left town on Friday,Oct. 3,before passing prominent healthcare IT legislation (H.R.6898,H.R.6357,and S. 1693),they did pass a number ofbills that supported the use ofhealthcare IT within the DoD and VA,rural areas and for the tracking ofchronic diseases.Examples of legislation can be accessed at www.himss.org. With the exception ofcommittee hearings underway concerning the financial crisis,the U.S.House ofRepresentatives will reconvene on Jan.3,2009.The U.S.Senate could reconvene by Nov.17 for a lame duck session. During the lame duck session,committees are expected to convene and new senators will be trained on the rules ofthe Senate.As members ofCongress and their staffprepare for the 111th Congress,the industry can expect much planning and collaboration on healthcare IT legislation for next year. For additional information or answers to specific healthcare IT legislation-related questions,contact Meredith Taylor,director ofcongressional affairs,at mtaylor@himss.org.I WoHIT08 explores Europe's healthcare ICT community The World of Health IT Conference & Exhibition 2008, taking place this month at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, addresses the perspectives of clinicians, directors and other healthcare professionals in Europe's healthcare information communications and technology community. Educational sessions, preconference symposia, networking events and an exhibition explore current and future challenges for the ICT community and offer practical solutions and cutting-edge strategies, tools and technologies. Next month's issue of the HIMSS Insider will feature a recap of WoHIT08. Read more at www.worldofhealthIT.org. I http://www.himss.org http://www.versatile.com http://www.persystent.com http://www.himss.org http://www.himss.org http://WWW.VISITCOPENHAGEN.COM http://WWW.VISITCOPENHAGEN.COM http://www.worldofhealthIT.org http://www.himss.org/davies http://www.himss.org/davies

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Healthcare IT News - November 2008 Contents $700M Strong PHR Power Stepping It Up Geo IT EMRs Go Rural HiMSS Insider: Making a Difference Home for the Blues Merge Amnesty Management Solutions: Outsourcing Appeal Clinical Toolkit: Enterprise PACS

Healthcare IT News - November 2008

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