Nemours Completes Electronic Medical Records Upgrade
Jacksonville, Florida
Wednesday, July 18, 2007 @ 01:58 PM EDT
by: Odette Struys
Phone: (904) 697-4186
ostruys@nemours.org
Nemours, one of the nation’s largest children’s health systems, recently completed a yearly upgrade to its outpatient electronic medical record (EMR), emphasizing the importance of medical record availability for children with chronic illnesses during hurricane season or other natural disasters.
Thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims that had medical care interruptions due to the storm in 2005 could have avoided these situations if their paper records had been stored electronically. “A child with a chronic medical condition such as cancer needs a very precise schedule for care, and delays caused by a Katrina-type event resulting in the loss of all paper documentation, could complicate treatment,” said Paul Pitel, MD, Chair of the department of pediatrics at Nemours Children’s Clinic Jacksonville. “EMR systems like the one used at Nemours can help prevent such an occurrence.”
Nemours’ EMR system works seamlessly across four states in approximately 20 locations, providing Nemours physicians with access to a secure Internet portal that also allows them to view records and to treat their patients anywhere in the world, if needed.
According to a study that was released in fall 2006 by researchers from George Washington University and Massachusetts General Hospital, less than 10% of doctors use advanced EMR systems that have information such as laboratory results and the ability to type patient notes like Nemours. Only about 25% of doctors in the United States use any kind of EMR to improve patient care delivery.
Nemours began working to establish its EMR in 1998 and went “live” in May 2000. Across the enterprise, the Nemours electronic medical record houses approximately 870,000 patient records and contains approximately six years worth of historical patient information that allows for a more complete view of the medical record. The EMR systems are stored in a secure location that provides protection from natural disasters and also prevents external tampering.
Nemours also collaborates with community doctors in the care of children with complex issues by providing referring physicians access to their patients’ medical records in Nemours’ EMR through an Internet portal called NemoursLink. This allows all parties involved in health decisions to co-manage the patient and to let them focus on the total care of the child. In the event of a natural disaster in a Nemours location, NemoursLink and other secure Internet portals could be an important tool in maintaining each child’s health care outside of the area.
“Over the years, Nemours has consistently looked to the future of health care to ensure the best care for our patients and the EMR is a result of that forward thinking. As seen with Katrina, paper records clearly have limitations that have negatively impacted an entire region,” said David Milov, M.D., Chief of Clinical Informatics at Nemours.
modified: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 @ 07:58 AM EDT
created: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 @ 01:59 PM EDT
About Nemours
Nemours, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children’s health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont’s bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.
Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and major children’s specialty clinics in Delaware (Wilmington), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr) and New Jersey (Atlantic City and Voorhees). Having recently received preliminary approval from the State of Florida, Nemours will establish a new full-service children’s hospital as part of an integrated pediatric health campus in Orlando. KidsHealth.org, the world’s most visited pediatric health care Web site for parents, kids and teens, is a project of Nemours.
Nemours employs over 4,400 individuals, including 430 pediatric physicians, specialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2007. The organization’s goal is to align with parents, physicians, community leaders, children’s advocates and elected officials to ensure optimal wellness for every child. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.nemours.org.
