Wisconsin EDs to share patient data

A new computer system may give Milwaukee (Wisc.) County's hospitals instant access to emergency department records from any participating hospital, slashing costs by millions and improving care. The system is designed to simplify ED procedures and make sure ED clinicians have all of the information they need when evaluating patients.  Currently, ED staffers don't know whether a patient has visited other hospitals unless they spend lots of time and resources researching the issue, notes Dr. Mark Mitchell, chief of the emergency department at Milwaukee's St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.  Not only will the system make it easy to find out what treatments a patient may have received at other hospitals, it will also identify patients who need regular care for ongoing illness--and help clinicians steer such patients toward preventative treatment.  It will cost $390,000 to test the system for two years. Assuming advocates get funding, the system will be rolled out in early 2007.

- For more information read this article from The Business Journal of Milwaukee.

PLUS:  Barron (Wisc.) Medical Center is implementing an electronic medical record system after three years of development. It's going to cut down on errors, which means cost savings and better care, too. Article

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