The EMR Incentive Program provides payments to eligible professionals and hospitals as they adopt, implement, upgrade, or demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic medical records technology. Eligible professionals can each receive up to $44,000 over five years under the program.
Elk Regional Health Center has completed the first portion of Stage 1 Meaningful Use.
Sixteen of the Health Center’s physicians earned incentives through the program, along with nine mid-level providers that include Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners and Certified Physician Assistants. In all, Elk Regional’s care providers earned $258,000 in incentive money.
“The electronic medical record program is a great illustration of the collaborative efforts that our employees make to enhance patient care,” said Ron A. Skarka, the Chief Operating Officer at Elk Regional Health Center. “It’s a shining example of team work. Electronic medical records are fundamentally transforming the way physicians and mid-level care providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, provide care. That transformation is for the better, and it’s gratifying to know that our patients will be able to reap the benefits.”
Electronic medical records allow Elk Regional’s health care providers to record patient information electronically instead of using paper records. The system is critical to the Health Center’s ability to provide patients with efficient, coordinated, safe, and high-quality care.
Using electronic medical records, multiple care providers in different locations can simultaneously view a patient’s medical record on their computers and get up-to-the-minute information on test results and physician notes and recommendations. This collaboration enables care providers to work more efficiently in determining if further consultation or testing is required. Electronic medical records also provide important information about medications, including the dosage and time for renewal, and a complete record of a patient’s immunizations and allergies.
The electronic medical record project at Elk Regional Health Center was led by a team including Jamie Yount of the Health Center’s Physician Billing Department; Joyce Fox, a physician office manager; and Jackie Housler, Melissa Shields, and Lisa Connelly of the Health Center’s Information Technology Department. The group worked closely with Lori Morton, a project coordinator with PA REACH, an organization that provides outreach, education, and technical assistance to care providers who want to implement electronic medical record.
Physicians and mid-level care providers who achieved meaningful use of electronic medical records at Elk Regional include family medicine providers Rowan Baird, M.D.; T. Murray Baker, M.D., David Caruso, M.D., Rosemaria Cienciva, M.D., Amy Kelly, D.O., Gregory Little, M.D., Dennis Parlavecchio, M.D., Tonya Aversa, CRNP, Lisa Bauer, CRNP, Crista Bennett, PA-C, Anne Briendel, PA-C, Ashley Kentoski, PA-C, Cristen Kilpeck, PA-C, Kelli Norman, PA-C, and Jodi Regulski, PA-C; internal medicine specialist Anujit Singh, D.O.; orthopaedic providers Ted Eshbach, M.D., David Johe, M.D., Naveen Singanamala, M.D., Megen Handley, CRNP, and Andrea Inzana, PA-C; pediatrician Nancy Rieder, M.D.; obstetric and gynecological specialists Steven Koch, M.D., Wu-Jan Lin, M.D., and Julie Szymanski, CNM; and pain management specialist Shanti Raju, M.D. Office managers from all of the practices also participated.
“Technology is evolving and improving at breakneck speed and Elk Regional is keeping up,” said Mary Ann Schwabenbauer, the Chief Information Officer at Elk Regional Health Center. “Our electronic medical record system is just another example of our commitment to using technology to enhance the patient experience. We are always searching for ways to produce better results for our physicians and their patients. This system will help us do that.”
PHOTO: A group of physicians, office managers, and team members who helped Elk Regional earn more than $250,000 in incentive money from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In the front row, from left, are Jamie Yount; Jodi Regulski, PA-C; Tonya Aversa, CRNP; T. Murray Baker, M.D.; David Caruso, M.D.; Shanti Raju, M.D.; and Steven Koch, M.D. In the back row are, from left, Lori Morton, a project coordinator with PA REACH; Crista Bennett, PA-C; Anne Breindel, PA-C; Tana Sherry; Ron Skarka, Chief Operating Officer; Carol Gray; Anne Wolfe; and Anna Lewis.
