Roger Chaufournier: Expanded electronic health record use will provide long-term benefits
Over the next few years West Virginia's health care industry will have a unique opportunity to transform itself through greater adoption of electronic health information technology.
Over the next few years West Virginia's health care industry will have a unique opportunity to transform itself through greater adoption of electronic health information technology. The driver of this transformation will be millions of dollars of federal funds that will provide incentive payments for those eligible hospitals and primary care providers who adopt certified electronic health record (EHR) systems.
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been authorized to provide a reimbursement incentive for eligible Medicare and Medicaid providers (physician and hospital providers) who are successful in implementing certified electronic health records and achieving "meaningful use."
To further assist with implementation of electronic health record systems and to aid providers in getting ready for these federal EHR incentive payments, the ARRA act also provided funding to establish HIT resource centers across the country. In West Virginia, this new center is the West Virginia Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center.
The center is designed to serve as a statewide resource center to aid primary care providers in implementing and using certified health information technology and achieving health improvement outcomes through "meaningful use." The WVRHITEC involves a collaboration of several state organizations focused on improving health care quality and access. Key partners are the West Virginia Health Improvement Institute, the West Virginia Medical Institute, the Community Health Network of West Virginia and the Upper Ohio Valley IPA.
The center's efforts to reach medical providers are being greatly facilitated by collaboration with numerous state agencies, health care groups, medical professional societies and other entities working to improve health care through innovation.
The consistent, nationwide adoption and use of secure EHRs will ultimately enhance the quality and value of health care. By assisting health care providers, the WVRHITEC's outreach, education, and technical assistance services will help to accelerate these outcomes.
Greater use of electronic health record system and other health information technologies (health IT) also will make it possible for health care providers to better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information. Health IT includes the use of electronic health records instead of paper medical records to maintain people's health information.
Electronic health records will provide a number of benefits to patients and their families:
Reduced need to fill out the same forms at each office visit.
Reliable point-of-care information and reminders notifying providers of important health interventions.
Benefits of managing digital medical record data vs. paper.
Convenience of e-prescriptions patient portals for online interaction with providers.
Over the next few years West Virginia's health care industry will have a unique opportunity to transform itself through greater adoption of electronic health information technology. The driver of this transformation will be millions of dollars of federal funds that will provide incentive payments for those eligible hospitals and primary care providers who adopt certified electronic health record (EHR) systems.
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been authorized to provide a reimbursement incentive for eligible Medicare and Medicaid providers (physician and hospital providers) who are successful in implementing certified electronic health records and achieving "meaningful use."
To further assist with implementation of electronic health record systems and to aid providers in getting ready for these federal EHR incentive payments, the ARRA act also provided funding to establish HIT resource centers across the country. In West Virginia, this new center is the West Virginia Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center.
The center is designed to serve as a statewide resource center to aid primary care providers in implementing and using certified health information technology and achieving health improvement outcomes through "meaningful use." The WVRHITEC involves a collaboration of several state organizations focused on improving health care quality and access. Key partners are the West Virginia Health Improvement Institute, the West Virginia Medical Institute, the Community Health Network of West Virginia and the Upper Ohio Valley IPA.
The center's efforts to reach medical providers are being greatly facilitated by collaboration with numerous state agencies, health care groups, medical professional societies and other entities working to improve health care through innovation.
The consistent, nationwide adoption and use of secure EHRs will ultimately enhance the quality and value of health care. By assisting health care providers, the WVRHITEC's outreach, education, and technical assistance services will help to accelerate these outcomes.
Greater use of electronic health record system and other health information technologies (health IT) also will make it possible for health care providers to better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information. Health IT includes the use of electronic health records instead of paper medical records to maintain people's health information.
Electronic health records will provide a number of benefits to patients and their families:
Reduced need to fill out the same forms at each office visit.
Reliable point-of-care information and reminders notifying providers of important health interventions.
Benefits of managing digital medical record data vs. paper.
Convenience of e-prescriptions patient portals for online interaction with providers.
Electronic referrals allow for easier access to follow-up care with specialists.
Will facilitate electronic health exchange no matter where you are.
With the help of health information technologies, doctors will have:
Accurate and complete information about a patient's health. That way they can give the best possible care, whether during a routine visit or a medical emergency.
The ability to better coordinate the care they give. This is especially important if a patient has a serious medical condition.
A way to securely share information with patients and their family caregivers over the Internet, for patients who opt for this convenience. This means patients and their families can more fully take part in decisions about their health care.
Information to help doctors diagnose health problems sooner, reduce medical errors and provide safer care at lower costs.
Regional extension centers also will help providers achieve, through appropriate available infrastructures, exchange of health information in compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and patient preferences. The WVRHITEC will be working with the West Virginia Health Information Network on exchange activities.
Finally, this initiative will leverage the on-going work to integrate the medical home model activities already underway in West Virginia. These aim to transform our state's health care delivery system and substantially improve the health of our rural population, which has a high prevalence of chronic disease, lack of access to care and high health care costs.
For more information about the West Virginia Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center and federal EHR stimulus payments, please visit wvrhitec.org or call 1 (877) 775-7535.
Chaufournier is chairman of the West Virginia Health Improvement Institute and the Program Officer for the West Virginia Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center.
