OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital Launches $12 million Medical Record System Upgrade
OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital has invested $12 million to launch a new medical record system that will improve patient care by making it easier for patients and their providers to access important health information. The new system, CareConnect, went live at OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital on March 24, 2024.
CareConnect, powered by Epic, creates one record for each patient to improve communication between their clinical team. It enhances the patient experience by making it easier to access their personal medical records. Patients can now begin utilizing the MyChart app and website to quickly access their appointments, results, billing information and more.
"This will improve patient outcomes by enabling quick access to comprehensive data for accurate diagnoses and timely interventions,” said Joy Bischoff, president of OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital. “The change will also improve the patient experience by streamlining scheduling and offering patients access to their medical information, which will help guide healthier behaviors and choices.”
Physicians can track results more efficiently.
“From the physician and staff perspective, I feel that CareConnect is a much more robust and complete version of Epic which allows for better documentation and communication with patients through MyChart,” said Scott W. Jarvis, MD, FACP, Associate Vice President Clinical Affairs, OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital. “This will facilitate better patient care and allow for timeliness with annual screening reminders and also allow the patients to schedule themselves over the computer rather than the current method of placing a phone call.”
Before the launch of CareConnect, patients were already using MyChart for results and messaging the providers, but they were not able to use it to schedule appointments or pay on accounts. This new system will allow patients to schedule appointments, see a provider virtually, and pay their medical bills all in one place.
“The launch of CareConnect was part of the $12 million investment OhioHealth has committed to providing safe, effective care for our community, identifying patients who require screening and preventive care, improved treatment, diagnosis, decreased errors, and flexibility related to patient care,” said Paula Stabler, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Director of Patient Care Services.
OhioHealth MyChart is a free, simple, secure, and convenient way for patients to manage their healthcare. MyChart can be accessed online at mychart.ohiohealth.com or via the OhioHealth app https://mychart.ohiohealth.com/MyChart/. Patients still have the option of requesting medical records in-person at hospital registration.
Van Wert Hospital is the latest of OhioHealth’s 15 hospitals to move to CareConnect, creating an integrated system.
