Reading Health System Implements System-wide Electronic Health Record

Friday, February 01, 2013

Reading Health System implements Reading HealthConnect, a comprehensive electronic health record system, on Saturday, February 2, creating a “one patient, one chart” patient information system throughout its continuum of care.

The $150 million investment in Reading HealthConnect will enhance quality of care and clinical outcomes by allowing real-time access and updates to records as the patient navigates throughout the continuum of care.

Whether the individual visits a physician’s office, the hospital emergency department, or a laboratory testing site, the information is recorded immediately in the chart and is ready for viewing by any of the individual’s care providers.  The information includes the patient’s medical history, family medical history, previous diagnoses, lab tests results, medications, allergies, and other data crucial in providing healthcare to the individual.

By replacing multiple disparate legacy systems, Reading HealthConnect will also improve patient record quality as well as streamline interactions between clinical information provided by physicians, hospitals, and satellite sites and the business data involved in registration, scheduling, and billing for thousands of records processed throughout the system.

Patients may also access their records online through MyChart, a secure personal health record portal, via browser or mobile application.  Through MyChart, individuals can:

• View test results
• View upcoming & past appointments
• Request prescription refills
• Provide updates to medication lists and allergy information
• Communicate with the physician or physician’s office

The “go-live” on February 2 adds the inpatient nursing units and inpatient/outpatient departments of Reading Hospital and Reading Health Rehabilitation Hospital to 32 physician practices already using Reading HealthConnect in the ambulatory setting. These practices went live this past summer.

Background
The conversion from siloed systems to Reading HealthConnect began in 2011 with the selection of Epic Systems Corporation, of Verona, Wisconsin, as Reading Health System’s partner in creating an electronic health record.  Physicians, nurses, and other clinicians, as well as IT, records, finance, and registration experts provided input on selecting the software and participated in tailoring the program to fit specific needs.

Countless hours of training and education have been conducted in advance of the implementation, resulting in all physicians and staff members who touch patient records becoming certified in operating the electronic health record system.

In addition to staff training, more than 600 consultants who specialize in launching electronic health record systems will join Reading Health System experts to provide “at the elbow” support during the initial weeks of operating the new system.  A central command center will be available 24/7 to also support users and resolve operational issues.

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