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NORTHRUP GRUMMAN AND CONEMAUGH HEALTH SYSTEMS

LOOK TO GLOBALIZE VETERANS' HEALTH RECORDS --

"This program will allow military and civilian health care

providers to share electronic health records."

Story here... http://www.dailyamerica
n.com/articles/2008/01/07/news/news387.txt

Story below:

-------------------------

Hospital, business looks to improve records access

By DAN DiPAOLO
Daily American

JOHNSTOWN — The Northrop Grumman Corp. and Conemaugh Health Systems officials announced Monday that they are hoping to become leaders in globalizing medical record access for veterans through a new partnership.

The companies have joined with the U.S. Department of Defense to launch a software research and development program that will ideally eliminate bureaucratic lags, time lapses and frustrations some veterans experience with transferring physical medical files from caregiver to caregiver, Bruce Walker, director of strategic planning for Northrop Grumman’s IT Civilian Agencies group.
“This program will allow military and civilian health care providers to share electronic health records,” he said.

Scott Becker, CEO of Conemaugh, said that the program will integrate the hospital system’s electronic record keeping which was completed last February. “This is going to take what we’re doing on the commercial side of health care and institute with the military,” he said.

What that potentially means for veterans is easier transferring from doctor to doctor for treatment and better quality of life, said Tom Caulfield, executive director of Veterans Leadership Program/Veterans Community Initiatives.

Streamlining access to those records is particularly important as each branch of the service maintains their physical records in different places, he said.

For example, Army veterans must request their records in writing from the St. Louis depot, he said. If a veteran then transfers their treatment to a local doctor or even the Veteran’s Administration, the files must be shipped, sometimes with maddening problems, he said.

“Bureaucratic delays, lost paperwork, these things happen and they can lead to people growing frustrated or even forgoing ongoing treatment. It has become apparent that a program like this is needed throughout the country,” he said.

Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, was also on hand for the announcement. “Information technology for the troops is absolutely essential,” he said. “As these soldiers come home, in rural areas in particular are going to have a problem. This is essential to the case worker system,” he said.

The program, which will initially cost several million dollars, will also create a number of new jobs in Johnstown as it expands, said Robert Cothren, a Grumman Director of Clinical Information Technology.

The first phase will create the physical and software linkages between the hospital and Grumman that are compatible with the DOD’s and VA’s Bidirectional Health Information Exchange, a similar project for military medical systems, he said.

The second phase of system, which is called the Military Interoperable Digital Hospital Testbed, will essentially beta test the information sharing system by using Conemaugh doctors for feedback on how it works, he said.

The ultimate goal is to allow freeflowing electronic medical records and updating by any doctor providing health care for a soldier or veteran, he said. “Eighty percent of health care for veterans occurs in small offices,” he said.

Grumman workers in the new Conemaugh Health System’s Greater Johnstown Technology Park, will be tasked with part of the development of the program, he said.

By the end of 2008, the company is expected to have hired nearly 100 people for the tech park offices.

The 100,000 square foot building, which is currently under construction, is expected to cost more than $22.5 million and provide a boost to long-term downtown revitalization efforts.

More than 70 people attended the event on Monday.

(Dan DiPaolo can be contacted at dand@dailyamerican.com .)

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