RCMC prepares to launch EMR
Electronic medical records (EMR) bring safety, efficiency and convenience enhancements to health care. Red Cedar Medical Center—Mayo Health System in Menomonie, Glenwood City and Elmwood went with an EMR on Saturday, March 6, 2010. Steve Rosas, M.D., emergency and family medicine physician and EMR physician project lead at the medical center, answers questions about the electronic medical record.
What are the benefits of the EMR to patients?
Your medical information is in one easily accessible location. The EMR includes a list of medications you take and any allergies you have, which will help to prevent medication errors. For example, if you are prescribed a medication that is not compatible with another medication you already take, the electronic medical record will flag that conflict to your provider’s attention. If you are allergic to a medication and you’re hospitalized, the allergy information will be prominently displayed for your health care team.
The EMR also gives providers access to up-to-date research and treatment guidelines. If you are diagnosed with a particular condition, the provider can check the latest news about it and treatment recommendations.
If you receive care at another location within Mayo Health System, including Luther Midelfort in Eau Claire, your record can be accessed by those providers and will be updated with information about the care you receive so your RCMC providers have all the information about your health.
Will the EMR include patients’ historical health information?
Initially, the EMR contains the past 18 to 36 months of patients’ medical information. Providers will access paper records or a previous electronic system for older information, if necessary for care.
How do you ensure confidentiality of patients’ medical information?
Protecting patients’ medical information is extremely important to RCMC. Unauthorized access to health information violates our policies and is against the law. We’ve taken steps to secure EMR information with password-protected devices that allow us to monitor who accesses patient records. Your health information is NOT available on the internet and only members of your health care team have access.
Will patients notice anything different at appointments?
Patients can expect at three major differences. First, you may notice your provider typing information into a computer instead of writing in a paper chart. Second, appointments will be required for lab collections and shot room injections. And third, prescriptions can be electronically sent directly to your pharmacy.
What type of staff training is required?
We worked very hard to ensure a smooth transition to the EMR. All employees that use the new system went through extensive training and practice. For some, over 32 hours was required.
However, even with all the required training and practice we know that in the initial weeks of EMR implementation you may experienced slower registration times and longer-than-expected waits. For example, if you need a routine check-up during March, you may not be able to be scheduled for an appointment as quickly as you expect. However, we are reserving many appointment slots for same day needs. Please call 715-233-7777 for a same day appointment.
We ask for your understanding and patience during these first few weeks. We are excited to have a powerful new tool to help us continually put the needs of the patient first. What isn’t changing during this transition is our commitment to provide exceptional care today to create healthier communities tomorrow.
