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25 Medical Practices To Participate in Clinical Message Service

Posted on: Monday, 9 October 2006, 12:01 CDT

UKIAH, Calif., Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Redwood MedNet today announced the testing of a Web-based clinical message service that allows local physicians to easily and securely share important patient documents with one another.

"Our goal is to have in place a viable electronic message system that allows rural physicians to receive results from laboratories, and to send clinical data to one another to improve our patient care," explained Carl Henning, M.D., President of Redwood MedNet. The clinical message service will be operated by Redwood MedNet as an extension of Mendocino Health Records Exchange (http://www.mendocinohre.org/), a demonstration project operated by Redwood MedNet since 2005.

Some 25 medical practices are expected to send up to 4,000 lab results and other records each month as part of the new clinical message service. The participating medical practices are located in Fort Bragg, Ukiah, Lakeport and nearby communities in the Mendocino and Lake County region.

Funded by Blue Shield of California Foundation, the new clinical message service is viewed as a quick, efficient and confidential way for providers in rural areas to communicate and share patient documents.

Dr. Henning noted, "The absence of large integrated health systems in rural areas requires an innovative approach to improve diagnosis and treatment of our rural patients. We believe our message service will address this need."

First developed in the mid 1990s, clinical message services are now used by thousands of health care providers in Santa Cruz, California, and in Cincinnati, Indianapolis, New York, and other urban areas.

The new clinical message service from Redwood MedNet is expected to contribute to national efforts to develop electronic health records for all Americans.

Blue Shield of California Foundation awards nearly $30 million annually to expand access to health coverage, end domestic violence, and advance the use of technology to improve access to quality health care.

About Redwood MedNet

Redwood MedNet is a nonprofit organization based in Ukiah, California. Redwood MedNet's founding members are physicians, pharmacists and computer engineers working in private practice, emergency departments, hospitals, public health and community clinics. The goal of Redwood MedNet is to enable the Lake and Mendocino County region to become a center of excellence in improved patient health outcomes through the adoption of modern health information technology. Redwood MedNet was established in 2005 with seed funding from the Foundation for Medical Care of Lake and Mendocino Counties. For more information, see http://www.redwoodmednet.org/ .

About Blue Shield Of California Foundation

Blue Shield of California Foundation was formed by Blue Shield of California, a not-for-profit corporation with more than 3.2 million members, 4,300 employees and 20 offices throughout California. Blue Shield of California Foundation provides charitable contributions and conducts research and supports programs with an emphasis on domestic violence prevention, using technology to promote health, and reducing the number of uninsured. For more information, visit the Blue Shield of California website at http://www.mylifepath.com/ or the Foundation at http://www.blueshieldcafoundation.org/ .

Redwood MedNet in Ukiah, Calif.

CONTACT: Bruce Lewis, Media Relations for Redwood MedNet in Ukiah,Calif., +1-707-964-3844

Web site: http://www.mendocinohre.org/

Web site: http://www.blueshieldcafoundation.org/

Web site: http://www.redwoodmednet.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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