Health care organizations connect medical records to enhance care for millions of patients
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Nov. 2, 2017, Carolinas HealthCare System and CaroMont Health announce a partnership to merge critical patient information, creating a secure environment for providers to access the important patient records they need to improve quality and coordination of care for patients who see providers at both health systems.
As neighboring health care systems in the region, Carolinas HealthCare System and CaroMont Health have chosen to connect Carolinas HealthCare System’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) system to CaroMont’s electronic medical records to improve the overall patient experience and the health of the communities they serve. This new partnership will allow physicians and clinicians to see relevant portions of patients’ electronic medical records regardless of where they receive care. The partnership is a significant step toward improving efficiencies and cost by reducing readmissions, duplicative work, tests and procedures.
“Many of our Carolinas HealthCare System patients in Gastonia also receive care through various CaroMont facilities including the Emergency Department or urgent care,” said Karen Cloninger, MD, a pediatrician at Carolinas HealthCare System’s Gastonia Children’s Clinic. “It is essential we use all available information to give our patients the appropriate treatment. Waiting for a patient’s medical record could cause a delay in their treatment. Connecting our electronic medical records helps ensure a safer, more timely treatment.”
The patient information available to connected providers typically includes demographics, test results, transcribed documents, medical diagnoses and visit summaries. Electronic Health Record sharing between Carolinas HealthCare System and CaroMont Health will include approximately 6 million unique patient records.
Carolinas HealthCare System is also partnering with other systems to share electronic records, including: Novant Health, UNC Health Care, Veterans Affairs, Mission Health HIE and Coastal Connect HIE. The goal of these collaborations is to effectively pool efforts and resources, build upon existing work, and come together for the greater good of the community. Together with other community organizations, they are focused on increasing access to care; establishing resources for mental health and disease prevention; and addressing community need and the social determinants that directly affect the health and well-being of our citizens.
About Carolinas HealthCare System
Carolinas HealthCare System, one of the nation’s leading and most innovative healthcare organizations, provides a full spectrum of healthcare and wellness programs throughout North and South Carolina. Its diverse network of care locations includes academic medical centers, hospitals, freestanding emergency departments, physician practices, surgical and rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, nursing homes and behavioral health centers, as well as hospice and palliative care services. Carolinas HealthCare System works to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of its communities through high quality patient care, education and research programs, and numerous collaborative partnerships and initiatives.
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