CSC today announced the successful implementation of the first phase of Fletcher Allen Health Care’s comprehensive electronic health record (EHR) system, PRISM (Patient Record and Information Systems Management), after a 15-month planning and implementation period. PRISM is now operational in the hospital’s inpatient areas as well as the Emergency Department, Walk-In Care Center, and inpatient pharmacy. Fletcher Allen is now positioned to meet the regulatory requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Under ARRA, hospitals will receive monetary incentives if they demonstrate “meaningful use” of EHRs by 2011.
Benefits of the new EHR system from Epic include ease of viewing all patient information in one place; accessibility of patient information from remote locations; ability for multiple parties to concurrently check patient information; and instant access to medical orders. To date, Fletcher Allen’s providers are entering 92 percent of all medical orders electronically (and 96 percent of all medication orders), reducing the turnaround time for receiving medications and tests, and enhancing the accuracy of clinical documentation.
“We adopted an electronic health record to improve safety and quality of care for patients,” said Sandra Dalton, senior vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Fletcher Allen. “With CSC’s healthcare expertise and track record in clinical systems implementation and improvement, we have succeeded in completing the first phase of our project on budget, on schedule and in just 15 months. We hope other hospitals are encouraged by our achievement.”
“The success of this project proves that EHRs can be implemented quickly and effectively,” said Deward Watts, president of CSC’s Healthcare Group. “The commitment of Fletcher Allen’s senior executive team, including the medical staff leadership, was crucial to its completion. When combined with CSC’s clinical and technical expertise, it enabled Fletcher Allen to rapidly move from a manual process to an electronic system where nearly all medical orders are being entered automatically.”
As part of the project, CSC provided clinical transformation consulting services and IT design, building, testing and activation support. When completed, PRISM will be operational throughout Fletcher Allen including the hospital’s more than 30 facilities in Vermont as well as affiliated medical practices, which include approximately 750 physicians. CSC continues to offer technology support services to Fletcher Allen as the hospital prepares to conduct phases two and three of the project, which are slated to be complete by the end of 2010.
CSC’s Healthcare Group, which serves healthcare providers, health plans, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, and allied industries around the world, is a global leader in transforming the healthcare industry through the effective use of information to improve healthcare outcomes, decision-making and operating efficiency.
