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Oregon Community Health Information Network Awarded Nearly $1 Million Grant From Northwest Health Foundation's Kaiser Permanente Community Fund

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 June 2005, 12:00 CDT

Community health centers will benefit from state-of-the-art electronic medical records and practice management technologies

The buzzwords in medicine today are electronic medical records, or EMR. This technology makes it easier for patients to receive care because the doctor has the patient's health information readily available. No more lost charts, looking for test results, or trying to figure out if the primary care provider, the specialist, and the pharmacist are working together to improve the health of the patient. Today, Oregon Community Health Information Network (OCHIN) is well on its way to making medical technology work for an unlikely recipient -- community health clinics that serve low-income individuals. Usually, community health clinics are the last to receive state-of-the-art technology. Thanks to a grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Fund at Northwest Health Foundation (NWHF), they are at the front of the line.

"We are most appreciative of this generous grant," said Mike Leahy, OCHIN Chief Executive Officer. "Northwest Health Foundation has a strong commitment to and understanding of the clinics that we serve. We intend to continue this relationship by sharing what we learn in the implementation of this technology at safety net health clinics in Portland and throughout the tri-county area."

OCHIN was founded in 2000 as a collaborative project of stakeholders, safety net health care providers, and CareOregon. OCHIN's first charge was to design and implement a statewide data infrastructure that would offer practice management software to safety net community clinic partners. This computer software allows OCHIN partners to achieve greater efficiency in appointment scheduling, resource utilization, and financial functions. To date, OCHIN has installed a common integrated practice management system in 14 individual clinics that cover 85 sites from Seattle, Washington to Santa Cruz, California. The second charge is the rollout of EMR software that will greatly improve care for uninsured Oregonians by automating the data that providers need to better serve the patient. OCHIN expects to bring up its first EMR site this fall at Multnomah County's North Portland Health Clinic. "Our providers are very interested in sharing what they've learned about EMRs and organizing care in a different and better way," said Nancy Stevens, Director of Community Benefit Initiatives at Kaiser Permanente Northwest. "Kaiser Permanente's unique contribution to this effort is our experience with the identical software platform that OCHIN has selected. We're eager to transfer what we've learned to help ensure the long-term success of EMR implementation within the safety net system."

"OCHIN is improving access to quality health services for medically underserved Oregonians," said Thomas Aschenbrener, NWHF President. "This is an exciting partnership -- a chance to leverage Kaiser Permanente's experience with EMR and practice management technology where it's needed most."

Senator Gordon Smith has worked with OCHIN since its inception and has supported federal allocations to OCHIN and their clinic partners. "Our state is known throughout the country for innovations in health care programs and services for vulnerable Oregonians. It's a groundbreaking endeavor and a testament to Oregon's status as a health care leader," said Smith.

OCHIN is a collaborative project of stakeholders, safety net health care providers, and CareOregon. Through a federal grant from the Bureau of Primary Health Care, OCHIN collaborators came together to stabilize the infrastructure of Oregon's health care safety net system so that all Oregon residents -- regardless of their insurance, income, or social status -- have equal access to quality health care services. More information about OCHIN can be found at www.community-health.org.

NWHF was created in 1997 from proceeds of the sale of PACC Health Plan and HMO. NWHF's mission is to advance, promote and support the health of the residents of Oregon and southwest Washington through grants and technical assistance programs. NWHF supports donor-advised funds for health philanthropy throughout the Pacific Northwest. More information can be found at www.nwhf.org.

The Kaiser Permanente Community Fund (KPCF) was established in late 2004 at Northwest Health Foundation to advance the health of the communities served by Kaiser Permanente Northwest. The intent of KPCF is to improve access to health care for the vulnerable and uninsured, reduce health disparities, and promote intercultural health. More information about KPCF can be found at www.nwhf.org/opportunities/kaiser.php.

Source: Business Wire

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