Christ Hospital’s primary care records go electronic

If you’re a patient at a Christ Hospital Primary Care office, the old jokes about your doctor’s handwriting will soon no longer apply. The Christ Hospital has extended EMR (electronic medical records) to its network of physician’s offices and physical/occupational therapy locations. EpicCare Ambulatory EMR software allows medical professionals to view a patient’s medical records securely from any location, replacing all paper records. In June 2008, Christ Hospital was the first in Cincinnati to implement EMR in all departments. Integrating Christ’s network of outpatient care was the next logical step. Currently, scheduling and registration are managed through EMR software. Over the coming months, the medical network’s EMR phase-in will encompass all aspects of patient care, including medications, doctor’s notes, and test results. “The addition of EpicCare Ambulatory EMR allows The Christ Hospital to offer the most streamlined, complete medical record system available in Greater Cincinnati – from the patient’s doctor’s office, to the hospital and throughout the continuum of care,” said Chester Maze, Chief Information Officer for The Christ Hospital. “Having a patient’s medical history, list of prescribed medications and other records immediately accessible to each patient’s physicians, nurses, and other clinical staff, will be an invaluable resource for improved healthcare quality and safety.” The Christ Hospital is also making EMR more accessible for the larger community. Physicians outside of Christ’s network will soon be able to purchase EpicCare EMR for their office’s use. EMR leadership puts Christ Hospital on the forefront of a national movement toward electronic medical records. President Obama is supporting for a law requiring all U.S. medical records to go electronic by 2014. Writer: Elena Stevenson Source: The Christ Hospital