OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital Launches New Medical Record System
OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital has launched a new medical record system that improves the way doctors manage care and the way patients access their health information.
CareConnect went live at OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital and OhioHealth Physician Group Heritage College on February 23. More than 900 local OhioHealth associates trained on CareConnect, and another 250 OhioHealth associates have been diligently working behind the scenes to prepare for Go Live.
Going live with CareConnect means that each OhioHealth patient will have a single medical record. The system allows providers to track all the tests, lab work, and diagnoses a patient receives, from every hospital department and medical clinic, and from every hospital in the OhioHealth system.
CareConnect is powered by Epic, the national leader in hospital electronic medical records. Because this medical record system is so widely used by other hospitals in Ohio and throughout the country — more than 200 million patients currently have an electronic record in Epic — physicians may also view their patients’ medical records from other hospitals that also use the system.
Mark Seckinger, president of OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, says that the hospital’s $11 million dollar investment in CareConnect means better patient care.
“It’s a major investment for O’Bleness that will have a huge impact on how our patients experience their healthcare,” said Seckinger. “CareConnect allows providers to share information seamlessly across the OhioHealth system and beyond.”
According to J. Todd Weihl, DO, vice president of medical affairs for O’Bleness, the system keeps healthcare providers on the same page.
“Providers will have the ability to see all the types of care that has occurred with a patient in real time,” said Weihl. “That level of interactivity improves handoffs between physicians. It makes care higher quality, safer, more affordable and more efficient.”
“For example, if a patient has studies done at another Epic-supported medical facility, our doctors here will be able to access those records without going through a laborious process of requesting records and having them mailed or faxed over,” Weihl said. “It saves precious time, plus a complete record provides a better picture. That’s really a key point for continuity of care.”
Personalized online access
Lorinda Retterer, an application systems consultant for OhioHealth, says patients, too, can use the system, with a feature called MyChart.
OhioHealth MyChart is a free, simple, secure and convenient way for patients to manage their healthcare. MyChart, which can be accessed online or via the OhioHealth app, offers patients personalized online access to portions of their medical records.
MyChart also allows patients to message their care team, schedule appointments, pay bills, see test results and refill medications.
“You know when you have a new message from your doctor,” said Retterer. “You know when you have a new test result. You can go in and renew your prescriptions. You don’t have to call the office, and you can do it when it’s convenient for you.”
In addition to patients accessing their own medical record, another advantage of MyChart is for caregivers. Access can be given for family members who are active in the patient’s medical care and would like to communicate with that family member’s providers. Examples could be a parent or guardian of a minor or a family member/caregiver of an adult (with their consent).
Weihl says the new system means good news for your health.
“From a patient perspective, it’s a wonderful tool,” said Weihl. “The more that a patient understands their chronic disease or understands what’s going on, the more likely they are to be engaged in their own wellness.”
