Computer displaying Epic Haiku application

Sisters of Mercy Health System’s $450-million investment in electronic health records (EHRs) led to its being named by the American Hospital Association earlier this year as one of the nation’s “Most Wired” healthcare systems. While that award is noteworthy, additional proof of how important EHRs can be came after Mercy’s hospital in Joplin, Mo., took a direct hit from an EF-5 tornado in May.

At a time when access to health records was more critical than ever because of the large number of people who were injured and\or had lost their homes and belongings in them, including prescriptions, Mercy was able to immediately access EHRs to fill a critical need after one of the most devastating tornadoes in U.S. history.

The EHRs were a lifeline for their patients, medical team and community, said Will Showalter, Mercy’s chief information officer. “Though our building was gone, our data was still there and immediately accessible,” Showalter said. “Whether it’s a tornado, hurricane or the blistering heat—anything that could wreak havoc on an institution—Mercy has planned for it.”

Mercy has invested $60 million in a high-tech data center built in Washington, Mo., to withstand tornado-force winds and constructed in an area removed from earthquake fault lines. Arkansas facilities served by that data center include Sisters of Mercy hospitals in Rogers, Hot Springs and Fort Smith. The center has access to alternate sources of power and a network capable of transferring the entire contents of the Library of Congress in less than 6.5 seconds.

Mercy Chief Medical Officer Glenn Mitchell, MD, said knowing whether someone is diabetic or highly allergic to penicillin is critical to patients’ safety.

“We invested in an EHR because we thought it was the right thing to do,” Mitchell said. “Now that we’ve seen the devastation to one of our communities, we know it was right.”

EHRs are not just helpful in cases of natural disaster, of course. For example, Fred de Miranda, MD, a pediatrician with Mercy Clinic in Fort Smith, uses a wireless medical record transmission device called Pic Haiku to work more efficiently. He’s now using the Canto for IPad app, as well.

“In the mornings, while drinking coffee and watching the morning news, I can also be quickly checking my patient list to see if I have any new patients to round on, particularly when I have been off for the weekend or after an evening off,” Miranda said. “These apps are a real timesaver if a nurse or emergency department physician calls me with patient concerns and I’m away from the office or hospital. Now, I can log in on my phone and make sure I have all the latest patient information. I’m able to look at x-ray reports or lab results and discuss the case with the medical staff at the hospital. This means the patient is getting treatment quickly and efficiently.”

If he wants to call a patient to check on his or her progress or report labs, he can log on to Epic on the iPhone, search the patient name, then just tap on the phone number listed under patient demographics and the app dials the number for him.

Prior to this technology, a physician would have to call the hospital, speak with the medical records staff, wait for them to pull the patient paper chart, get the patient’s phone number, dial it and finally get to talk to the patient.

David House, chief information officer, Baptist Health Medical Center (BHMC), Little Rock, said they have been on a quest to build EHRs since the early 1970s.

Ten years ago Baptist became a customer of Mercury MD, which allowed medical staff to download clinical results to a handheld device. Over the years that product evolved until they now can download that information locally, through a WiFi connection or with a cell phone.

“A physician away from the office with that tool who gets a call from Baptist Health about a patient can look on the cell phone and access the information remotely to pull up clinical results for a patient to be able to talk knowledgably about the patient’s condition and lab results,” House said. “Our latest initiative in this area in process of EHRs is called Epic, and that product is going to be a replacement product for some other technology we are currently using. That is the next big push. February of next year the BHMC, North Little Rock facility will go live. September it will go live at BHMC Little Rock.”

The next wave of IT enhancements will allow consumers to access their medical records electronically. Next February Baptist will be releasing a consumer portal on Epic called My Chart for consumers to access their medical records.

House said that many patients today, especially chronically ill patients, become very well educated about their illness and are able to interpret test results and other information.

“The consumers are probably a lot more savvy faster than we might even think, especially if it is a chronic illness and they are going to manage it over years,” House said. “For example, a diabetic will know what their blood sugar results mean and what they need to do to adjust behavior and medicine. Being involved in your own care can be empowering. If I am more knowledgeable, I have a sense of being more in control in the situation as opposed to being a victim.”

As consumer access to EHRs becomes more common, House expects to see more information in the records stated in layman’s terms.

Another application of wireless medical records is the ability to do some remote patient monitoring for patients in their home. This allows people to stay where they are most comfortable—in their own homes—and still be monitored by a healthcare professional who can intervene with medical help when necessary.

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