A Medical Device Daily Staff Report
HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley (Kingston, New York) reported that it will upgrade its existing electronic health record (EHR) technology systems as part of its focus on enhancing healthcare quality and safety for the communities it serves in upstate New York. The three-hospital system plans to expand its relationship with McKesson (San Francisco) by implementing Horizon Clinical's solutions for use by about 750 caregivers system-wide. HealthAlliance already uses McKesson's medical imaging, pharmacy and automation technology as well as its pharmacy distribution services. The alliance believes the new clinical upgrade should help position the health system to qualify for HITECH incentives under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
'Technology that enables better care team communication and coordination is essential to care delivery transformation and providing a safer, high-quality patient experience,' said John Finch, chief information officer, HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley. 'Starting with the radiology and pharmacy areas, McKesson has proven that its solutions can help us improve quality and efficiency. We are eager to build on that success as we provide new systems for physicians, nurses, pharmacists and the larger clinical team.'
With the technology upgrade, all clinicians will have electronic access to information about patients' active health problems, past diagnoses, medication history and known or reported allergies. Nurses will document care in the EHR at the bedside, providing immediate updates to other clinicians. A new electronic tracking board also will provide teams with at-a-glance information on patient status, including clinical, admission/discharge/transfer (ADT), environmental services and more. It displays that information against hospital floor plans on large, electronic whiteboards.
In other agreements/contracts news, Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA; Birmingham, Alabama), a providers of outpatient surgical services, said it has entered into a joint venture arrangement with West Coast Endoscopy Center (Clearwater, Florida) to partner in the operation of the center.
Under the agreement, SCA and a group of physician partners will own the center, and SCA will provide management services. West Coast Endoscopy Center will continue to be a freestanding outpatient endoscopy center.
'The medical staff of West Coast Endoscopy Center is excited to announce the selection of SCA as our corporate partner,' said Umesh Choudhry, MD, Secretary of the Board of Directors of the center. 'We believe that the combination of SCA's surgery center expertise, their local and national network, and our medical staff's clinical expertise will help further our center's reputation as a leader in medical care for outpatient surgery in the Tampa Bay Area.
SCA operates 128 ambulatory surgery centers and surgical hospitals, in partnership with approximately 2,000 physicians.
