Electronic Medical Records Really Do Work

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Electronic Medical Records Really Do Work

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/97460.php

A study published in the on-line medical journal BMC Medical

Informatics and Decision Making has demonstrated for the first time

that electronic medical records improve patient care, lower mortality

and reduce costs in chronic disease.

This peer reviewed article clearly shows significant advantages

achieved by using a properly organized electronic medical record.

Mortality was reduced 40% and, as a further bonus, use of the EMR

increased the efficiency of the staff, leading to the ability to

deliver better care with 25% fewer staff needed. This retrospective

analysis of nearly 4000 patient years of prospectively collected data

on dialysis patients treated over a 9-year period at The Rogosin

Institute, a non-profit treatment and research institute affiliated

with New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College,

shows that Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) can have a significant

positive impact on outcomes and cost in chronic disease. At last

there are hard data showing what has long been hoped, that EMRs can

improve care, reduce costs, and improve survival.

US dialysis patient mortality has stayed at approximately 23-24%

annually for many years. This compares quite unfavorably with most of

the developed countries in the world. Using this EMR, mortality

dropped by almost 40% (to 15% annually) and has remained low through

today. Rogosin's results are now better than 99% of US dialysis

units.

Rovegno, CEO of MIQS, notes: " For some years we have all

believed that computers can provide the information tool needed to

improve the quality of care, reduce costs and avoid serious errors.

At last, in this landmark study, is the proof of the hypothesis.

Since 80% of our healthcare costs are incurred caring for patients

with chronic diseases, these findings will have important

implications for the cost, quality, and safety of American health

care. "

Data on the Rogosin patients was entered into and managed using an

electronic medical record developed by MIQS, Inc. of Boulder, CO and

designed for day to day patient care. The record stores and organizes

the patient's information including diagnoses, procedures, symptoms,

signs, medications, orders, test results, dialysis treatments and

data on all conditions, whether or not directly related to kidney

disease. It stores this information from all venues of care provided

by any healthcare provider. The information is layered into the

system, which contains a query and decision support system and

reminder tools that help medical personnel track data in real time.

In a typical year over 25,000 discrete pieces of data were recorded

for each patient. The system includes a large library of reports and

tools that provide a mechanism to flag conditions, lab values or

other unexpected health outcomes that may not normally be seen.

" We believe that having a system to collect, query and analyze

extensive data - including information that is not directly related

to the condition we are treating - greatly impacts the outcomes of

patients. This is especially important for patients who have multiple

systemic diseases that need ongoing evaluation and treatment by many

health care providers over many years and at various sites, " said

Lorch, MD, of The Rogosin Institute and Weill Cornell

Medical College. " The improved mortality rates we saw in our patients

who were tracked using MIQS are striking. "

Methods

The MIQS electronic patient record was incorporated in three Rogosin

Institute dialysis centers in 1998, 1999 and 2000. By December 31,

2006, the patients had been treated by maintenance hemodialysis for a

total of 3924 treatment years. A retrospective analysis was made

using query tools embedded in the software. The data was compared

with patient information compiled from the US Renal Data System

dialysis population. The 1790 patients had underlying primary

diseases and multiple co-morbid conditions affecting many organ

systems. Year by year mortality, hospital admissions and staffing

were analyzed.

Results

An analysis of data annually after the implementation of the

electronic patient record system in the three centers showed a marked

decrease in mortality, with rates of 37%, 37% and 35% less than that

reported by the US Renal Data System. Clinical staffing was 25

percent lower per 100 patients than the national average, thereby

lowering costs.

" Because dialysis is such a standardized treatment throughout the

country, the difference we saw in outcomes in the Rogosin patients

was very significant, " said Victor Pollak, MD of the University of

Colorado and MIQS, Inc. " This is clearly a case when patients'

improved outcomes could be directly attributed to an electronic

patient record. "

The Rogosin Institute is a non-profit treatment and research

institute affiliated with the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill

Cornell Medical College. The Institute provides treatment for kidney

disease, including dialysis and transplantation, cardiovascular

disease related to cholesterol and lipid problems, cancer, diabetes

and hypertension. It participates in research to improve the

treatment and prevention of these conditions.

MIQS, Inc., of Boulder, CO, is the premier provider of medical record

and financial software for dialysis. Founded in 1990, the company has

developed and marketed a suite of software products used in the

treatment of renal and other chronic diseases.

http://www.miqs.com