Hillside Avenue Family and Community Medicine has reduced the need for patient emergency room usage by more than 10 percent over the past year. The Rhode Island practice used McKesson's Practice Partner electronic health record solution to improve the health of chronically ill patients.
Hillside's proactive, technology-based management approach is driving measurable improvements in patient satisfaction and outcomes. A three-month study of more than 45 diabetic patients receiving chronic care showed the average blood glucose level dropped by 5 percent. More than half of Hillside's adult patients have been screened for depression, and 75 percent have been screened for smoking status in the past 12 months. Three-quarters of patients who smoke have received specific, formal counseling on how to set goals to quit.
"Our McKesson EHR enables us to track results electronically, ensure doctors' notes update patient files such as problem lists and health maintenance tables automatically, and provide secure access to records," said Kenneth Sperber, MD, physician operating officer at Hillside. "These capabilities have helped us improve the way our practice administers and tracks care – resulting in cost savings and, more importantly, improved patient outcomes."
Part of the groundbreaking Chronic Care Sustainability Initiative for Rhode Island, Hillside electronically manages the healthcare of patients suffering from numerous chronic illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and depression. The practice also is focused on helping patients reduce smoking and emergency room use.
Hillside is a certified patient-centered medical home with six physicians, a registered dietician, an RN/nurse care manager and a quality assistant serving 15,000 member patients. Encouraging the practice's large population of patients to have tests performed, Sperber notes, is the pivotal first step toward getting chronic conditions under control in its community.
"Our state-of-the-art EHR has enabled us to generate the kind of results that have our chronically ill patients genuinely excited about improving their health," Sperber said. "This recognition reinforces our belief that we have the tools we need to provide the best possible care."
The McKesson Distinguished Achievement Awards program is designed to recognize outstanding achievements by McKesson customers – including hospitals, physician practices and hospice/home health agencies – in the use of healthcare information technology to enhance care delivery and improve operational efficiency.
The applications were scored by an independent panel of third-party judges. Each winner receives a $5,000 grant from McKesson to a foundation or charity. Hillside chose to donate its grant to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.
"Hillside Avenue Family and Community Medicine has successfully harnessed its electronic health record solution to enhance the health of its patients and position its organization for meaningful use," said David Henriksen, senior vice president and general manager of McKesson's Physician Practice Solutions. "Hillside is an excellent example of the high caliber of care that can result from proactive programs that engage chronically ill patients to improve their health."
Practice Partner is just one element of McKesson's comprehensive portfolio of physician solutions, designed to reduce time spent on administrative tasks and help meet the needs of running a modern practice. As the source for solutions that improve practice performance, McKesson's offering includes clinical and EHR software, as well as business management and revenue management solutions. The company also provides connectivity solutions for health information exchange and medical-surgical equipment and supplies.
