By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

According to a USA Today investigation, “More than 1,000 ‘saveable’ lives are lost needlessly each year in the nation’s biggest cities because of inefficiencies in the cities’ emergency medical systems.”

So in a medical emergency, when time is of the essence, wouldn’t it be nice to know that the nearby hospital has instant access to your medical record?

At one community in Baltimore, Md., that seamless transfer of information is already possible. A recent collaborative project between Erickson Retirement Communities and St. Agnes Hospital established instant patient data exchange between their respective Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems, marking the first time in the U.S. that such a system has been developed between a hospital and a full-service retirement community.

No more wasting time!
Bonnie Phipps, president and CEO of St. Agnes Hospital, says the advantages to those in the program are immense. “Establishing a secure health information exchange between Erickson and St. Agnes Hospital will enhance the quality of patient care the hospital can provide to Erickson residents,” Phipps says.

The health information exchange system shows that an efficient and secure transfer of health care data is in fact possible and underscores the importance of technology in health settings. Specifically, Phipps says the collaboration “will allow us and our patients immeasurable benefits, including a reduction in turnaround time for  retrieval of up-to-date patient information; the elimination of paper-based transmission of  patient clinical information; a reduction in the need for patients to inform physicians of chart updates when moving between care settings—either verbally or through filling out redundant forms—and a reduction in residents’ average length-of-stay.”