New Electronic Medical Records “clicking” for TRC

Dr. Adnan Munir and nurse Mickey McAvoy consult a patient’s electronic medical record at The Resource Center’s Primary Care Office.

New technology designed to improve the efficiency of health care in Chautauqua County is now just a click away for The Resource Center.

It’s called EMR, or Electronic Medical Records, and earlier this year, thanks in part to a $200,000 grant from the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, The Resource Center went live with this new technology.  It’s technology that simply stores patient health information into a central electronic location, making it available to providers on a secure network.

“It’s a system where all records are kept in the computer and are no longer on paper,” said Julie Kohler, TRC’s assistant director for Diagnostic and Treatment Services.  “It’s just fabulous.  It really streamlines procedures.  There’s no hunting for charts, they’re easier to read than a doctor’s handwriting, it allows for better record keeping, and it creates a patient history and database.”

TRC acquired its EMR system from a company called Allscripts, and with support from the company and the help of the Sheldon Foundation grant, TRC is now online with EMR.  The Sheldon grant was instrumental in the plan, design, development, testing, and full implementation of the system.  Two of the many health care professionals employed by TRC are already immersed in the technology. 

“Oh, it is very convenient.  I’ve used it before at WCA and the VA Clinic, and I’m a big fan of EMR.  It is the way to go.  We are all still at various levels of learning it, but we will have everyone on the same page,” said Dr. Adnan Munir, who practices at TRC’s Primary Care Office on East Second Street in Jamestown.  “Everything is in the computer – click, click, click, and it’s there.  I can be at the office or at home and get a call, whether it’s one of my patients or not; again – click, click, click, the info is right there.

“It’s easy, oh, it really is.  It’s easier to follow up on a patient, and I can pull up the previous notes, word for word.  It really streamlines things,” said Deb Piotrowski, nurse practitioner at TRC’s School-Based Health Center located inside Jamestown High School. “We can change it to meet our specific needs.  We can make new templates, and they can be tailored to the provider’s use.  It’s nice in a school setting because we see a lot of people, so when I finish my notes, I click to save and the next provider can see them.”

Because of the new technology, Munir and Ms. Piotrowski believe they can operate at a much higher detailed level of care, despite the fact TRC has to start from scratch and spend countless hours inputting patients’ information, demographics and medical history into the computer, regardless of whether a person is a first-time visitor or an existing patient.  And while some people may question the safety of such a system, all who use it confirm that a patient’s privacy is protected from abuse.

“The same amount of people have access to a paper chart as they do an electronic one,” said Ms. Kohler.  “It’s very difficult to hack into the system, and the EMR actually provides a higher level of security because the software registers every click, so we’ll be able to know who is in there.”

“The tablets are very secure; in fact, they are fingerprint protected and only allows you to have access to them.  When I sign off, no one else can gain access,” said Ms. Piotrowski.

Munir added, “Their privacy is better protected.  Only the providers have access.  They are the same people who have access to paper charts.  It’s all password protected, so you can tell who’s been clicking.”

That clicking is also made easier when it comes to doctors and nurses ordering lab work and prescription medication for their patients.

“Oh, it’s very simple.  We can stay within the same system, and we interface with the labs.  The lab information goes right into my patient’s electronic record,” said Munir. “And no more hand-writing prescriptions – I just click on the medications, including generic, and if for some reason the insurance company doesn’t like it, it’ll let you know.  But you just click which pharmacy and send it on its way.  Fewer mistakes are made.”

Ms. Piotrowski added, “Yes, we e-prescribe.  We simply call up the list of medications, click the right one, choose a pharmacy, click on it, and send it on its way.  Then it becomes a part of the patient’s record.” 

Even diagnosing a patient and billing that person for the services received has become a much more efficient way of doing business with the EMR.

“It’s automatic and much easier.  I put in the info in the computer, and it calculates the billing.  I input the diagnosis and notes and pick the codes.  The computer does the rest.” Munir said.

“First, with a diagnosis, you can be more precise as it is all coded.  I can be very specific and note the severity of a condition.  The billing is just as easy once all the codes are in,” Ms. Piotrowski added.

And while EMR is still a work in progress for some, others believe it’s only a matter of time before everyone is on the same page.

“It’s a great way to practice.  The work is better documented; it improves quality of care and generates better revenue for the agency.  I’m glad we have it, and I think in the next three to six months, we’ll all be caught up and it will only get easier,” concluded Munir.