The Kettering Health Network, a six-hospital system based in Dayton, Ohio, has committed more than $50 million to implement an electronic health record system, abandoning its best-of-breed strategy for a fully integrated, enterprise-wide system.
Kettering will roll out technology from Verona, Wis.-based Epic Systems, which hospital officials say is in play at several other hospitals in the state.
The rollout will begin at the 191-bed Sycamore Medical Center in Miamisburg, which is expected to go live in November 2010. The entire network – including outpatient facilities – is slated to be using the new system by June 2011.
Among the systems Epic will replace are technologies provided by GE Healthcare, Eclipsys and Picis.
The approach Kettering has taken to date has resulted in different departments using different technologies, making it difficult to access critical information.
“Integration of those systems is difficult at best and non-existent at worst,” said Jon Lewis, CIO at Kettering. “Patient data has to flow with the patient across the whole enterprise.”
“This product will help reduce medical errors by removing ambiguity,” said Charles Watson, DO, Kettering’s chief medical information officer. “There will be no need to interpret handwriting on orders, and there will be no concern about inconsistency in the use of abbreviated terms.”
“All physicians will know the prescriptions, notes, tests and diagnoses of other physicians,” Watson added. “It makes all the records available in one place, so you don’t have to hunt down results and reports. This coordination will not only improve care, it will make it less expensive.”
Sharp Healthcare in San Diego took a similar approach in 2007 with its rollout of the Millennium suite from Kansas City, Mo.-based Cerner Corp. at its seven locations.
“The big vision is one of integration,” Sharp CIO William Spooner said at the time. “It’s a profound move from best of breed. The best of bread strategy was the only strategy available at the time.”
At Kettering, Rush and the IT team are taking into acount the intent of sharing information in the future.
Epic’s CareEverywhere will help Kettering achieve that goal, Lewis said, and added that Kettering is in preliminary discussions with the Ohio Health Association concerning a health information exchange.
Lewis did not give specific numbers regarding Kettering’s anticipated return on investment on the $50 million-plus project.
“There will be a significant return on investment – both tangible and intangible,” he said, noting that the boost in patient safety is the main consideration.
