Ministry Health Care is pleased to announce their first site in the northern region, Ministry Medical Group located on the Sacred Heart Hospital Campus in Tomahawk went live with an Electronic Health Record (EHR) on November 18, 2009. The Sacred Heart Hospital campus in Tomahawk was selected as the northern region pilot site because its size and the fact that clinic and hospital operations have worked closely together for years.

There are many electronic health record systems in the marketplace, the decision to choose CattailsMD™ was made because Ministry Health Care felt it was in the best interest of the patients they serve throughout north central Wisconsin. CattailsMD™ will allow Ministry Medical Group, Ministry hospitals, and Marshfield Clinic to be fully integrated with a common electronic health record. Collectively, the two organizations provide patient care to many of the same patients and provide service to much of the same geographical area. The combination of Ministry and Marshfield records will create the largest patient database in the State of Wisconsin with 2.5 million patients and more than 1,000 clinicians sharing access to those records.

Implementation of the Electronic Health Record is a monumental accomplishment, not only because of the countless hours and numbers of people it took to achieve, but because it represents the strategic direction of how Ministry Health Care will provide health services in the future. The Electronic Health Record is one of Ministry Health Care’s biggest and single most important patient safety initiatives.

Ministry anticipates there will be questions from their patients. Following are a few of the most commonly asked:

Who will have access to my information?

As always, the privacy of your health information is strictly protected. Only medical providers and personnel directly involved in your care will access your electronic health record. In fact, our computer systems routinely audit and monitor if and how your information is being accessed.

How will my information be protected?

Many security measures, including routine auditing and monitoring of access, are in place to protect your information. These security measures meet or exceed all state and federal laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which mandates that safeguards be implemented to protect patient health information.

What happens if I need to transfer my records?

Information in your health record may be printed for transfer to a non-Ministry Health Care or Marshfield Clinic facility or to a Ministry Health Care facility that has not yet transitioned to the new system. Marshfield Clinic and Ministry Health Care facilities that have already starting using the CattailsMD™ EHR will automatically be able to access your electronic health record.

Will I be able to access my electronic health record?

Patients can always access their personal health record by contacting their local medical record department at any Ministry hospital or clinic. As the CattailsMD™ EHR is populated with comprehensive patient information; Ministry plans to provide an on-line patient portal that would allow secure, confidential access to your electronic health record.

What is e-prescribing?

Electronic prescribing or “e-prescribing” is a way of prescribing medications that is paperless. More specifically, it is when a clinician uses a computer with software that has been tested and certified to electronically access the patient’s prescription benefit, prescription history, and electronically route the prescription to the patient’s pharmacy of choice. Our CattailsMD™ electronic health record uses Surescripts™ to access prescription benefit and history information, and electronically route the prescription to the patient’s pharmacy of choice. In addition to prescription routing, when the patient runs out of refills, the pharmacist can also electronically send a renewal request to the physician for approval.

Ministry Health Care has used the CattailsMD™ EHR in central Wisconsin at Saint Clare’s Hospital, several Ministry Medical Group offices, and Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield for many years. All Ministry Medical Group providers and all Ministry Health Care hospitals in north central Wisconsin will be added to the CattailsMD™ EHR system within the next few years.

The Electronic Health Record is one of Ministry Health Care’s biggest and single most important patient safety initiatives. It will have the greatest impact on patient safety of all the projects they do because of the enterprise nature of the project.