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Improving Healthcare Quality via Information Technology

Project Final Report (PDF, 202.26 KB) Disclaimer

Project Details -
Completed

Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) and five private physician practices serving a rural area wanted to reduce medical errors and adverse events through the implementation of an integrated electronic health record. The comprehensive record is accessible at all participating care delivery sites and to the patient/resident from home. This included implementation of an electronic patient medical record, electronic medication administration record, computerized physician order entry, and clinical decision support software in physician practices, the medical center, a home health agency and a long-term care facility. SVHC instituted a new Safety Division under the leadership of the project director, who served as Chief Medical Safety Officer. All partners use common access to an EHR to ensure high quality care. Key barriers were the cultural changes required for a proactive rather than reactive safety culture, and alignment of goals across and within providers regarding technology implementation. The project goals were: 1)demonstrate an increased culture of safety that encourages and supports the reporting of errors and adverse events, near misses and good catches, and feed information back to improve systems safety; 2) Physicians and other health care providers use a secure, confidential, integrated electronic health record that is accessible from any location and includes all episodes of care from all locations of care among grant partners; and 3) Improve patient safety and quality of care for patients served by partners. A summative evaluation reports on attainment of each of the outcomes listed in the goals and objectives. A formative evaluation records changes in the safety climate, effectiveness of the e-MAR system; and the framing of key issues among the partners over time. This safety and EHR project was part of a much larger strategic plan at SVHC to implement a wide range of IT tools throughout the health care system.