Bassett Rolls Out New State Of The Art Electronic Medical Record System

Cooperstown, N.Y. – Beginning this month and continuing over the next two years, Bassett Healthcare Network will transition to a new state of the art electronic medical record (EMR) system that will improve efficiency in health care delivery and provide the patient with an enhanced health care experience. 

As a leader in health care information technology with the establishment of an electronic medical record a number of years ago, Bassett has selected a new EMR system to more fully meet the needs of its organization and the patients it serves.

“The investment in information systems by Bassett continues a commitment to continuously improve our services to patients,” said Bassett President and CEO Dr. William Streck. “Some of these changes will be apparent to patients as they find services and information improved. Other parts of the changes will be less apparent but no less real. The efficiency of information use and transfer will improve access to important information for both patients and providers.”

The hallmark of the new Bassett EMR will be greater and easier access to information that is contained in a single consolidated record for each patient. Beneficial changes to the patient include:

•  Enhanced coordination of care within the network
•  Your health care provider will have faster access to your test results
•  Most prescriptions will be electronically sent to the pharmacy of your choice
•  Reduction in use of paper
•  In the future, patients will be able to check their own test results and receive wellness  information electronically.

The new system will streamline the patient’s health care delivery as well as reduce the risk of errors and enable patients to be more involved in their care. For example, the system will generate automatic alerts to a provider to help prevent potential allergic reactions, negative drug interactions, or duplicate orders. The new EMR allows for clinical information, such as progress notes, labs, images, reports and any scanned documents, to be immediately accessible to providers within Bassett Healthcare Network. Care providers will also receive automatic reminders when it’s time to order a certain test for health maintenance of a patient or continuing management of a disease.

The EMR will be accessible in real time to all users of the medical record within Bassett Healthcare Network. For example, if a patient is referred by his or her primary care physician to a specialist, the specialist will have immediate access to all of the patient’s history. As soon as the specialist sees the patient, the specialist’s notes will be available to the primary care physician. If the patient is later seen in the emergency department, all of the patient’s history will be there.