Lake Charles Memorial Hospital has begun the massive project of upgrading and transitioning its business and clinical information systems over the next three years at an estimated cost of $6 million, according to Larry Graham, President and CEO of the 391-bed southwest Louisiana healthcare system.

The goal of this investment is to catapult Memorial Hospital into the forefront of medical record management, keeping pace with other major healthcare providers throughout the United States.  The future of medical records is the ability to allow patient record accessibility, patient bill reconciliation, and patient appointments to be electronically handled, as well as physician and clinicians to be able to access all patient medical history in one centralized database.  When fully implemented, this investment by Memorial will also ensure the privacy of patients’ health and financial information.

“When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, nearly one million patients lost their medical records, forcing physicians to treat patients without access to crucial information such as medical histories, allergy lists and test results,” said Graham. “With this multi-million dollar investment in information technology, Memorial is ensuring that vital patient data will span inpatient and outpatient settings, and will be accessible electronically.”

When completed, this paperless system will allow Memorial patients to utilize one of our affiliate physicians or the service areas of the hospital and their health information will be accessible from any computer in the system, including the Emergency Room. Redundancy of records will be eliminated and information will be backed up in multiple locations to assure security and availability of records when accessing all points in the Memorial healthcare system.

The initial phase, which is scheduled to begin in early 2009 and take approximately 9 to 12 months to implement, will focus on the area of document imaging. Upon completion, Memorial will effectively enjoy what has been coined “a post-discharge electronic medical record.”

By replacing all of its major computer systems and implementing technologies that will create comprehensive digital records, Memorial will enable nurses, physicians and other caregivers to better meet patient needs by accessing up-to-the-minute patient-specific clinical information. The ability to share this data in real-time—across Memorial’s emergency and diagnostic departments and from outpatient to inpatient facilities—is expected to augment the facility’s quality and patient safety initiatives. 

The conclusion of Phase I by the end of 2009, will springboard the hospital into converting the financial and clinical operational systems. Clinical automation is just part of the overall initiative. Memorial is implementing information technology systems that will enhance operational efficiencies, which, in turn, should result in improved employee productivity, customer service and financial performance. To gain these advantages, the hospital will implement a host of processes ultimately improving workflow scheduling, document and financial management, medical imaging, business analytics, and emergency facility coding during a three-year information technology overhaul.

Memorial chose to partner with McKesson Provider Technologies because of the company’s experience and ability to offer a complete end-to-end system addressing clinical, operational and financial challenges. With McKesson’s Paragon® community hospital information system and Practice Partner® Patient Records EHR and practice management solution, both the hospital and its affiliated physicians gain workflow efficiencies by connecting laboratory and radiology orders between the practice and the hospital. As an example, electronic laboratory and radiology results will be delivered directly to the physician's work queue for immediate access from the office or hospital.

The electronic medical record system will also provide the tools and data necessary to prescribe, dispense, and administer drugs as safely as possible and to monitor for potential medication errors, according to Kevin Mocklin, MD, who as Memorial’s medical director is responsible for decisions relating to utilization, infection control, quality assurance, and the hospital’s clinical aspects.

“Our goal is to achieve the best care and outcomes for patients,” said Dr. Mocklin. “To achieve this, it’s important to have access to a comprehensive list of medications, tests and treatment for each patient.  That is what this system will do at the touch of a computer keyboard.”

About Lake Charles Memorial Hospital

A locally owned, not-for-profit healthcare system, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital was established in 1952 and consists of a 391-bed acute care facility, with a 324-bed facility on Oak Park Boulevard, a 38-bed Memorial Hospital for Women in south Lake Charles, and a 29-bed acute long-term care facility at Extended Care of Southwest Louisiana.  For more information, visit www.lcmh.com.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and healthcare information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, marking its 175^th anniversary this year. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit www.mckesson.com.