Naperville Sun/Aurora Beacon-News
Electronic health records here to stay
By David Sharos For The Sun
July 16, 2012
A major paradigm shift is under way throughout the country in terms of health care that has nothing to do with new drugs or experimental treatments. And in the western suburbs, Edward Hospital, the DuPage Medical Group, Provena Mercy Medical Center and others are taking advantage of the newest tool: electronic health records.
New U.S. government initiatives born out of “Obama Care” have nothing to do with the present or the future of electronic records, local hospital spokesmen say, meaning that regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election or proposed programs, electronic record keeping is here to stay.
“This is not a political thing for us or other providers in any way,” said Brian Davis, vice president of marketing at Edward Hospital. “Regardless of the Supreme Court’s decision about the Affordable Care Act, the use of electronic record keeping is coming.”
Hospital sources like Bobbie Byrne, chief information officer at Edward, agree that the new system “has little to do with ‘Obama Care’ and that money to implement the system has been set aside as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and its $2 billion in funding.” Hospital sources would not comment on the cost of implementing the system other than to say “it was a multi-year, multi-million dollar project.”
“This is one of the best examples of bi-partisan measures as it is something that has been supported regardless of what the court (said),” Byrne said. “This system will impact all areas of the patient records and care — from the outpatient work, intensive care, emergency and all other areas.”
Patients, Byrne said, will use their own patient portal known as “MyChart,” a personalized window where patients will be able to access a record of all the treatments and services provided. Many independent practitioners outside the Edward group already have begun to use the system, Byrne said, while the hospital began rolling its service out in May.
“We have 100 physicians on Edwards’ medical staff, and 10 of them located in three different sites began using the electronic system (in May),” she said. “We plan to have another 30 to 40 online in July, and within the next six months, there will be over 100 physicians using the system.”
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