Electronic Medical Records Improve Patient Care and Safety
Roanoke, VA - July 1, 2008
Carilion Clinic recently began a behind-the-scenes transition to a new electronic medical record (EMR) system that will further enhance patient care by bringing all patients’ medical records together in one place. The new EMR is a necessary tool to improving patient care since it gives doctors constant access to their patients’ most up-to-date and accurate records at all Carilion Clinic facilities.
The EMR technology works together with several different computer programs, assisting with the management of daily tasks and allowing doctors to communicate more effectively with other members of their patients’ healthcare teams. Because of this communication, doctors are able to collaborate on their patients’ overall plan of health, ensuring that they receive the best care possible.
As part of the EMR project, Carilion Clinic has also begun transitioning into a new financial program. This new program allows for more streamlined billing and easy-to-read account statements with hospital and physician’s charges shown together on one single statement.
As of July 1, 14 Carilion Clinic facilities have already completed the transition to the new EMR and all other practice and facility sites will be making the transition over the next two years. As individual sites begin their transition, providers will be scheduling fewer appointments, which will allow them to spend more time on each appointment and give them the time to master the new process. Services will resume at full capacity within three to four weeks.
EMR Patient Benefits:
- Electronic prescriptions will be available, which will improve accuracy and communication between doctors and pharmacists, and reduce the risk of drug interactions
- High level of security in accessing records
- Easy-to-read billing statements
- Patients’ up-to-date health information will be available at all Carilion Clinic physician offices and hospitals
- More legible and organized charts and records
- No need for patients to obtain and carry medical records to doctors’ appointments within Carilion Clinic
