Local doctors are going digital.
In an effort to move to a more efficient, paperless way to reach patients and interact with labs and pharmacies, Baltimore-based Mercy Health Services is working not only to keep its doctors up to speed on the latest technology trends, but slingshot them to the head of the class.
Teaming with Allscripts, a provider of clinical software, Mercy is incorporating the product TouchWorks to develop an electronic health record network of its patients. Through the implementation of this network, both doctors and patients will be able to reap the benefits, Mercy Chief Information Officer Jim Stalder said.
“We are in the business of providing care to our patients, and our physicians are looking for ways to make it efficient and timely,” Stalder said. “We want to make their job a lot easier, while providing high-quality care.”
Instead of a traditional paper-and-folder medical file, a secure digital record will now be kept in a database that can be accessed by health care professionals. Doctors will no longer have to transport files from office to office to deal with repeat patients. In the case of an emergency, a person?s current medications and past diagnoses are only a few clicks away. Previous lab results will also be available, as well as lists of allergies and other medical conditions. Even prescriptions and refills can be done electronically, eliminating some of the waiting time for medication.
Going digital protects the records from a potential disaster, said Rob Horst, Mercy?s director of information technology.
“All of the information is computerized and backed up and secure,” Horst said. “In the event of a catastrophe, the medical information is safe.”
The cost of implementing the system to about 110 affiliated doctors is estimated to cost $2 million to $3 million, Stalder said. About 50 doctors are running the system. Using the electronic health records, many physicians are opting to use a “tablet computer” from Hewlett-Packard. This device has a slate mode that is used with a stylus to allow quick and easy notation and access to the records.
“This technology has about 10 to 20 percent market penetration,” Stalder said. “We are one of the early adopters.”
