A new electronic health system designed to coordinate and share patient information has the potential to streamline health care -- but only if the system is used, members of a state health council said Wednesday.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A new electronic health system designed to coordinate and share patient information has the potential to streamline health care -- but only if the system is used, members of a state health council said Wednesday.
"I have an electronic system already, but the thing is it's not being used," said Dr. Steven Sebert with the West Virginia Medical Association.
Pharmacies and insurance companies are not using the system, which causes more paperwork and confusion, the opposite of what the system is designed to do, Sebert said during a Governor's Office of Health Enhancement and Lifestyle Planning meeting.
GOHELP council members representing the state's medical, labor and insurance industries weighed in Wednesday on the hurdles the state faces in the implementation of Health Information Technology systems in hospitals, primary care and physician offices, and other health-care entities.
"We need more people using it to make it efficient and workable," said Chris Clark, with GOHELP.
The goal of the electronic system is to move people toward preventative care, and reduce chronic conditions and costs, Clark said.
Records will follow the patient, and doctors can immediately pull up a patient's prescriptions history, allergies, blood type or what procedures they have undergone, Clark said.
That should reduce medical errors, repeat tests and procedures, administrative costs, and improve quality of care, immunization and public health reporting, said Raul Recary, with the state Health Information Network.
"One system to connect all physicians, hospitals and patients," Recary said. "The more players that contribute to this the better it gets."
Under the 2009 federal stimulus package, health-care providers who demonstrate "meaningful use" of certified electronic health records are eligible to receive incentive payments through Medicaid and Medicare.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A new electronic health system designed to coordinate and share patient information has the potential to streamline health care -- but only if the system is used, members of a state health council said Wednesday.
"I have an electronic system already, but the thing is it's not being used," said Dr. Steven Sebert with the West Virginia Medical Association.
Pharmacies and insurance companies are not using the system, which causes more paperwork and confusion, the opposite of what the system is designed to do, Sebert said during a Governor's Office of Health Enhancement and Lifestyle Planning meeting.
GOHELP council members representing the state's medical, labor and insurance industries weighed in Wednesday on the hurdles the state faces in the implementation of Health Information Technology systems in hospitals, primary care and physician offices, and other health-care entities.
"We need more people using it to make it efficient and workable," said Chris Clark, with GOHELP.
The goal of the electronic system is to move people toward preventative care, and reduce chronic conditions and costs, Clark said.
Records will follow the patient, and doctors can immediately pull up a patient's prescriptions history, allergies, blood type or what procedures they have undergone, Clark said.
That should reduce medical errors, repeat tests and procedures, administrative costs, and improve quality of care, immunization and public health reporting, said Raul Recary, with the state Health Information Network.
"One system to connect all physicians, hospitals and patients," Recary said. "The more players that contribute to this the better it gets."
Under the 2009 federal stimulus package, health-care providers who demonstrate "meaningful use" of certified electronic health records are eligible to receive incentive payments through Medicaid and Medicare.
Health-care providers across the state are at different stages of implementing an electronic record system, said Karen Bowling, Hospital Electronic Health Record Incentives.
Some providers are going from a complete paper system to a fully electronic system, Bowling said.
"Getting everyone familiar with how to utilize the system will take time," she said.
The choices available to health providers are also overwhelming, Bowling said. There are a number of commercial companies pushing different systems, she said.
The state Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center was funded in June through $6 million in federal stimulus money to assist and subsidize technical services for the electronic systems.
It's important doctors, primary-care providers and hospitals are aware of their choices and choose an electronic system that is able to connect with other providers, said Larry Malone, with RHITEC.
"The center is open to any health-care provider that needs help navigating the system," Malone said.
Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.
