Electronic Health Records: Improving Our Care Delivery
The goals for Starling are clear – become integrated, continue and prepare for our success together as we maintain our “act big, but feel small” medical care culture. The greatest focus in becoming one big family is on communication, and this Provider Portal provides a way that we can stay in the know and connected.
The clinical communication solution, one that is so important to the future of how we deliver care, is the global EHR adoption across Starling of the Allscripts software. This decision was made by a team of doctors and our professional support staff after months of review of options. As some of us have experienced, the interactive HER completely changes the feel of “groupness” among the clinic/practice. Preparations are underway, and the plan, in order to minimize disruption and maximize success, is to begin this fall in certain departments, and not go “all at once”. NPS (National Physician services), our own computer/Information technology company that manages our computers now, and the CMG branch staff have experience in a successful Allscripts roll out. They will bring all the knowledge, experience, and expertise we have.
We’re planning a step-wise process, raining information constantly over the next months, trying to create as few surprises and get as much input from everyone as possible. Announcements on the first two introduction seminars will be coming. We really will see our integration between branches take off after the EHR is up and running, as you can see what is happening with your patient anywhere across Starling. Imagine sending messages to your partners right in the patient’s chart, noting labs, asking questions, or giving a “heads up”. Imagine being alerted to care the patient hasn’t done, and can be optimized. This tool backs you up, so no matter what happens in the day, the EHR raises up a helping hand for optimal care delivery. Like the stethoscope improved our detection of the patient’s disease process, the EHR will improve our detection of the patient’s overall care process. It can improve our care for our patients.
Importantly, so many things we will need to do for the changing health-care payment reform will require a high functioning EHR – to keep our payments and our future revenue secure. It has the ability as a tool to change our care in ways that improve our revenue. Without it, we face serious reductions, and serious losses from all payers, government, and commercial insurance. It’s among the largest projects that a Group can undertake, and we will resource it for you carefully, cautiously, but effectively for our future.