EHR Michigan User Group Draws Big Crowd
ROYAL OAK -- The second annual Electronic Health Records Michigan User Group conference brought together the 11 health systems in Michigan using Epic electronic health records software last week.
More than 160 people from hospitals statewide attended the conference held at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak.
"The goal of the conference was to enhance care for patients through a collaboration of ideas and knowledge with others," says Subra Sripada, executive vice president and chief administrative and information officer, Beaumont Health System. "Epic staff did an exceptional job addressing future software enhancements and the steps for hospitals to reach the highest level of EHR adoption."
Health systems invited to the EHR Michigan User Group included:
Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak
Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo
Covenant HealthCare, Saginaw
Henry Ford Health System, Detroit,
Hurley Medical Center, Flint
Lakeland HealthCare, St. Joseph
Metro Health, Grand Rapids
Oakwood Healthcare, Dearborn
Sparrow Health System, Lansing
Spectrum Health System, Grand Rapids
University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor
Judy Faulkner, CEO of Epic Systems, provided an update on Epic highlights and future enhancements.
Beaumont was the first health system in Michigan, and one of the first in the nation, to meet "meaningful use" requirements, earning a $13.5 million incentive payment, under the HITECH act, in 2011 for full implementation of electronic medical records.
Beaumont earned $11.2 million in meaningful use incentives in 2012.
Beaumont expects to earn a total of $35 million in meaningful use incentives for its investment.
"We are fully implemented in clinical areas and continue implementation in some specialty areas of our hospitals," says Sripada.
Through electronic health record implementation, Beaumont has created greater efficiency and generated savings in medical transcription costs estimated at $2.5 million to $5 million over six years; and savings in medical record storage costs, estimated at $7.5 million over eight years.
In addition to savings and efficiency, electronic health records also enhance patient safety and coordination of care by giving all caregivers access to a patient's medical information.
Beaumont's electronic health record also includes a special feature called MyBeaumontChart. It gives patients access to their personal record, allowing them to see test results, schedule appointments, check payment balances, review immunization records and download educational material related to their condition.
"This helps patients and their families become proactive partners in managing their health," Sripada said.
