Greenwood County Community Clinics

“There is definitely a learning curve,” said Marian Drake, Clinic Manager, who began the transfer from paper to electronic charts by encouraging providers to input one patient in the morning and one in the afternoon.  In addition, all new patients are started on the EHR.  Though it has been a slow process, the clinics are now transferring four to six patients per day from paper to EHR and all providers are utilizing e-Prescribing.

Ed Riley, CEO of Greenwood County Hospital, decided to become a participant with KFMC, the Regional Extension Center (REC), in October 2010, to receive assistance with the clinics’ implementation.  When asked about the motivation for adopting electronic health information technology, he said, “We thought it would make it easier for the staff to get the information they need to care for their patients.”  Riley went on to explain that patients are seen both in the doctor’s office and the hospital. “With an electronic system in place, the doctor in the emergency room would be able to have immediate access to everything they need to know regarding the patient, whether they are theirs’ or someone else’s.”

Angie Barnett, Practice Consultant with KFMC REC, has been working with the clinics since last October. “Angie has been very helpful and knowledgeable and we certainly appreciate that,” said Drake. “She and I have been working together on the Meaningful Use objectives and measures and she has helped with our EHR vendor as well.”

Drake is looking forward to the day when the EHR is fully utilized and health information will be accessed and exchanged electronically, the realization of Ed Riley’s vision.

KFMC applauds the Greenwood County Hospital and its affiliated clinics on their EHR adoption working towards Meaningful Use and better patient care.
To view a fact sheet which details the value of Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records to achieve Health Outcome Priorities identified by the National Priorities Partnership,  Click here