Recently there has been quite a bit in the news about eClinicalWorks and perhaps this might be due to the fact that they not only offer a complete electronic medical records program, but they also appear to have a large focus on interoperability as well.
The related reading section below has a couple other recent announcements as well. Integration of medical records is the keyword for 2009 and was for 2008, but I believe this year we will see even more movement in that direction. Also notice the notes about integrating with a personal health record, which is also set to be on fire this year as well.
I have a widget on the site from a company called Trialx, which is working with PHRs to find clinical trials, based on the information contained in the personal health record, and the natural move here too is also have the ability to search from an EHR/EMR as well. I have this feeling that there could
very well be some real work in progress with eClinicalWorks with bringing this to the forefront as well by using the software as a service application to mine and find an appropriate trial, based on information that has been added to the electronic medical record. You can read more from the post below.
Clinical Trials and Personal Health Records – New Resources on the Medical Quack
By using the widget you can do a search and find an investigator and become connected immediately, but the next best move is to have medical information imported that will narrow the search down to exactly the trials that would apply, based on medications taken, conditions, etc. right from a chart, either an EHR or PHR, to avoid having to sift through those that may not be applicable.
From what I have been reading and seeing on the web, eClinicalWorks certainly seems to be dialed in, as they also work with most of the major hospital systems to integrate as well, such as McKesson, Epic, and a few more, and it operates with Linux too. BD
From the eClinicalWorks website:
- Hospital Interfaces—eClinicalWorks interfaces with most major hospital networks including Siemens, IDX, Epic and Meditech so that patient information can be streamlined between in-patient and out-patient.
- Physician-to-Physician Communication—With patient consent, records can be shared between treating physicians to ensure greater accuracy and more complete patient information.
- eReferrals—Referrals can be sent via the EMR, eliminating extra paperwork
- Personal Health Record (PHR)—Patients can modify personal information, view lab results, request refills and other patient/provider correspondence, allowing patients to have a more active role in their care, while reducing the number of phone calls to the office.
- Continuity of Care Record (CCR)—eClinicalWorks uses CCR to integrate Patient Portal and the EMR, demonstrating the company’s commitment to standards.
- Registry Reporting
WESTBOROUGH, Mass.--(Business Wire)-- eClinicalWorks, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, today announced that Children`s National Medical Center of Washington D.C., one of the nation`s top-ranked pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, has selected eClinicalWorks unified electronic medical record (EMR) and practice management (PM) software for its Children`s IQ NetworkSM. Children`s IQ Network is dedicated to improving connectivity, care and outcomes for children-and will be the first of its kind in the Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia region.
Pediatricians that are part of the Children`s IQ Network will implementeClinicalWorks unified EMR/PM system using a Software as a Service (SaaS) modelso members are able to access the system via the Internet. The system willstreamline clinical processes between practice locations and promote patientsafety while reducing costs. Providers will also have access to eBO, which usesmeta-data to give the practice more flexibility through the creation ofcustomized reports and by performing clinical and financial analysis. eEHX willcreate a community record that will enable physicians to have access to patients` vital health information and allow physicians to exchange data more effectively.
Children`s National Medical Center Selects eClinicalWorks for Children`s IQ Network | Reuters
Dr. Mostashari said New York’s system had already attracted interest from President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team; Mr. Obama pledged during his campaign to spend $50 billion over five years on electronic health records.
The system, custom-designed for New York by a Massachusetts company, eClinicalWorks, would cost a typical doctor’s office $45,000 to implement, but city subsidies reduce that to $24,000 for practices with at least 10 percent of their patients on Medicaid or uninsured; those in neighborhoods with the highest poverty rate pay $10,000. The health department is also putting together groups of doctors to share services like calling or sending text messages to patients to remind them of follow-up visits.
The health department has marketed the program most aggressively in three of the city’s poorest areas — Harlem, the South Bronx and central Brooklyn — sending employees to visit every doctor’s office in an effort to enroll them.
Particularly for less experienced doctors, the system provides what Dr. Jesse Singer, a health department records expert, described as CliffsNotes-style advice on how to handle medical problems based on a patient’s age, sex, ethnic background and medical history. It prompts doctors to provide routine tests and vaccinations, advises them on appropriate treatment and medication for certain conditions, and warns of potentially dangerous drug interactions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/nyregion/30records.html?_r=3&ref=nyregion
Related reading:
eCW definitely has something good going on. They've sold a ton of product. The only question is if they've grown too fast to be able to support the growth. I also interviewed with one of the largest hospital systems who was 25% moved to eCW and was already running into problems with eCW being able to scale for them. Imagine if they tried to add the other 75%.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your article. eClinicalWorks has something good going on. I know of a hospital system in NYC that has implemented 400+ of its physicians on eClinicalWorks.
ReplyDeleteThey are satisfied with the implementation.
Dr. Mostashari - very smart man..
ReplyDelete