In this final week of the lessons learned regarding electronic health records from the Military Health System, I want to stress the importance of not only: choosing the right EHR; trying things out first; the hardware; intuitive systems, training, web hosting, cutting the wires, easily computable data, and empowering your staff for effective change management; but also on focusing on the partnership with patients.
Empower the Patients to Take Responsibility as a Partner in Their Own Health Care
When creating a partnership with your patients, new technologies can empower them to have access and control over their health care data. Offering patients a personal health record is an easy way to start them down this path. A patient portal will enable patients to securely e-mail their provider, refill medications, make appointments and even keep a health journal. Providing these capabilities will ultimately benefit both patients and clinicians. Encouraging patient-centric care through Web-based PHRs across all specialties will enable providers to deliver the best quality health care.
In the MHS, a successful pilot study was conducted with a PHR. In our studies, our beneficiaries enjoyed having some control over their own health data. The key was ensuring that it linked well with the EHR system so that patient data could be current. As a doctor, I know very well that getting my patients actively participating in their own health care leads to better outcomes, including preventative care. Therefore, I would say including a PHR component is vital when you consider my responsibility, at the end of the day, is to provide the best care possible to our Warriors, retirees and their eligible family members so the military remains a fit and fighting force.
The future of EHRs is here. The ultimate goal is to share health care data throughout the nation to ensure that the best possible care is provided to our valued patient population. The next lesson is the realization that the Nationwide Health Information Network is the next generation in our EHR evolution. As NHIN develops, all health care organizations with EHRs will connect into this secure network. The NHIN is the “dial-tone” for the future and the broker of health care data for the entire country. Through NHIN, the country will be able to meet the health care goals set forth by President Obama and his administration.
The MHS Office of the Chief Information Officer, of which I am part of, is dedicated to ensuring we are providing the right information, at the right time, to those who need it. We continue to do this by being innovative in our thinking; partnering with our federal, academic, private and contract partners; and taking our lessons learned and applying those to new innovations. To recap, in EHRs, we were innovative and pioneering in adopting them; we have worked in close partnership with our medical providers, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and others; we have delivered products to improve the continuity of care for our beneficiaries; and we are constantly learning new lessons to apply to the next generation of innovations.
I look forward to your comments.
Week 9: Empower Your Staff From the Beginning to Feel Ownership of the New EHR
Week 8: Usable and Easily Computable Data Makes Good Health Care Sense
Week 7: Do Not Constrain Your Medical Providers With Wires
Week 6: Web Hosted Solutions Make Sense for Speed and Redundancy
Week 5: The See One, Do One, Teach One Training Philosophy
Week 4: EHRs Should Be Intuitive
Week 3: Hardware Matters
Week 2: Test Drive Before You Buy
Week 1: Choosing the Right EHR