Press Release
From Mission Health System:
ASHEVILLE, N.C.(December 17, 2013) As medical records become increasingly available by electronic means, Mission Health has proactively addressed the need for a safe, secure and robust electronic health information exchange (HIE) platform to serve Western North Carolina. The new platform, Mission Health Connect, is an HIE that allows health care information to be shared electronically between physicians, hospitals and other providers who help manage the health of our regional population.
Mission Heath is developing an HIE that protects individual privacy while improving the quality of health care and controlling costs. Providers are able to quickly and securely access health records for patients. Rather than waste time by having office staff track down and fax records, Mission Health Connect provides fast access to a variety of records including medications, immunizations and other clinical documents from numerous participating sources. In saving time and costs, and avoiding duplicate tests and procedures, Mission Health Connect will help accomplish its BIG(GER) Aim of getting each patient to the desired outcome, first without harm, also without waste and with an exceptional experience for the patient and family.
“We are excited to announce this achievement toward the universal delivery of accurate health information at the point of care providing safer, more efficient and timely treatment for our patients,” said Sulaiman H. Sulaiman, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Mission Health. “This doesn’t represent a completion but rather the beginning of a process to give our providers and health system advanced tools to deliver the best possible care across the region. The HIE technology is designed with the capacity to serve Mission entities and independent hospitals and providers in Western North Carolina.”
“Having direct access to clinical information from the various sources within our community significantly improves our ability to make quicker and more informed treatment decisions,” said James Lowery, MD, Information Technology Physician Advisor for Mission Health. “As clinicians, our decisions are based on the information available, and those decisions directly impact a patient’s treatment in a very significant way.”
Though the HIE is a tool for providers to access medical records, Mission Health is also in the process of implementing a patient portal that will allow patients to access, view and manage their own medical records.
Mission Health Connect is available to Mission affiliated and non-Mission affiliated medical providers and health care organizations across Western North Carolina. By participating in Mission Health Connect, providers and organizations will receive real-time patient information at the point of care. The goal of this service is to help health care providers and physicians deliver safe and timely care within the community and elsewhere.
For more information please visit www.missionhealthconnect.org
About Mission Health
Mission Health, based in Asheville, N.C., is the state’s sixth-largest health system and the region’s only not-for-profit, independent community hospital system governed and managed exclusively in western North Carolina. Mission Health was recognized as one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems in 2012 and 2013 by Thomson Reuters and Truven Health Analytics, respectively. Mission Health is one of only two medium-sized health systems to receive this recognition in 2012 and 2013, and the only health system in North Carolina to achieve that distinction.Mission Health, which traces its roots in the region back to 1885, operates five hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center. Its medical staff consists of more than 1,000 physicians and is certified in more than 50 medical specialties and sub- specialties. Mission Health has seven Centers of Excellence: Cancer, Heart, Mission Children’s Hospital, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Trauma and Women’s Health. Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, is the system’s flagship hospital and is licensed for 730 beds. It is the regional referral center for tertiary and quaternary care. It also includes Mission Children’s Hospital – the region’s only children’s hospital. Other Mission Health member hospitals include Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, McDowell Hospital in Marion and Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard. With approximately 9,500 employees and 700 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina. For more information, please visit mission- health.org.
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