FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Cheri Russum, Public Relations Manager, 425-304-0591

January 7, 2008

Clinical Excellence with New Electronic Health Record

Everett, WA – On January 8, Providence Everett Medical Center launches a new Electronic Health Record (EHR) at its Colby Campus. With EHR, many manual processes will be replaced by online clinical documentation and barcode-driven safety processes using portable computer terminals and barcode scanners. These new processes enhance patient safety, protect patient confidentiality and improve staff efficiencies.

With a portable computer terminal in each patient room, physicians, therapists, nurses and dieticians will now electronically chart patient information such as vital signs, daily assessments, height, weight, lab results and medication. 

In addition, upon hospital admittance, patients are given a wristband with a personalized bar code to ensure accurate patient medication identification and precise lab results reporting. Each room has a bar code scanner to scan a patient’s wristband when medication is given or lab specimens are taken.

The EHR also features an alert system which serves as a prompt for nurses to document that specific care measures have been given according to each patient’s need. These alerts may include providing smoking cessation information, pain medication assessment, or giving a pneumonia vaccine.

“The Electronic Health Record increases patient safety and improves patient confidence,” says Larry Schecter, Chief Medical Officer. “It also increases staff efficiency and provides caregivers with secure, confidential and immediate access to patient information.”

The EHR was first successfully introduced in the Providence Pavilion for Women and Children in October 2007. Once Providence Everett’s Colby Campus EHR launch is complete, Providence Everett’s Pacific Campus will implement the EHR on January 14, 2008.

Providence Everett Medical Center is a regional referral center serving five counties with comprehensive, not-for-profit, mission-based health care. In addition to its award-winning cardiac and vascular care, Providence Everett Medical Center also offers general medical and surgical care, and specialized treatment in areas such as oncology, newborn intensive care, orthopedics, neurosurgery, trauma, and pediatrics. Providence Everett Medical Center has three campuses located at 1321 Colby and 916 Pacific Avenue in Everett and 12800 Bothell-Everett Highway in Mill Creek.