Learn how Washington Hospital Uses electronic health record software from McKesson to reap clinical and financial gains. http://www.mckesson.com/en_us/McKesson.com/For%2BHealthcare%2BProviders/Physician%2BPractices/For%2BIndependent%2BPractices/Practice%2BPartner%2BAppointment%2BScheduler.html

1. Case Study
Washington Hospital
At a Glance
Uses EHR to Reap Clinical and Financial
Organization
Gains for Chronic Disease Management
Washington Hospital Managing quality improvements Answers
Washington, Pa. in chronic disease treatment is Washington Hospital selected
– 24 residents a challenge for any physician McKesson’s Practice Partner®
– 15 faculty practice, but even more so in a Patient Records, Practice Partner®
family practice residency where Medical Billing and Practice Partner®
– 58,000 visits per year much of the clinical staff includes Appointment Scheduler solutions.
residents in constant transition. (Practice Partner version 9.2 from
Solution Spotlight To improve the continuity of care McKesson is a CCHIT CertifiedSM
– Practice Partner® Patient provided by its three-office family product for CCHIT Ambulatory EHR
Records medicine residency, Washington 2006 and 2007.) This integrated
Hospital implemented a fully system of medical billing software
– Practice Partner® Medical Billing integrated electronic health record and practice management software
– Practice Partner® Appointment (EHR) from McKesson, overhauled gives physicians access to patient
Scheduler processes within the practice, and data anywhere, anytime.
enlisted support from a research
Critical Issues network to benchmark quality “Practice Partner has become a
measures. The transformation regular part of our physicians’
– Limited continuity of care has helped the residency enhance
and missed opportunities for daily care of patients,” explains
patient care and benefit from a Jeff Minteer, M.D., associate
managing chronic diseases regional pay-for-performance residency director, Washington
– Low level of financial return program, increasing annual Hospital. “McKesson’s system
on quality bonuses revenue by $50,000. gives our training physicians the
ability to access information in
Results Challenges multiple settings — from one of
– Instituted process changes using Because it hosts a training our offices, the hospital or home.”
the EHR that empowered program for residents, Washington
administrative and nursing staff Hospital’s clinical staff is always Dr. Minteer extended the practice’s
to take an active role in changing. In fact, patients are not use of the EHR when Highmark,
diabetic disease management seen by their regular doctor 40% one of Washington Hospital’s
of the time, resulting in missed largest payors, instituted a pay-
– Significantly improved opportunities for managing for-performance program based
performance against quality chronic diseases. Continuity of on quality improvement measures.
standards for diabetic patients care was further inhibited by the The incentives ranged from $3 to $9
as measured by a national practice’s use of paper records. per visit, depending on the
research organization With three residency sites practice’s performance against the
– Maximized pay-for-performance separated by 20 miles, it was measures. Dr. Minteer chose to focus
incentives offered by primary difficult for residents to evaluate on a disease management initiative
payor, resulting in an additional patients in the hospital without for diabetics, a significant portion
$50,000 per year in quality the information in their records. of the practice’s patient population.
bonuses And when patients moved from
office to office, record transfer Using the Practice Partner EHR
was a problem. in conjunction with historical

2. Case Study
“McKesson has given us population and patient data Results
compiled by Practice Partner Washington Hospital achieved
a step toward a longitudinal Research Network (PPRNet), substantial improvements in clinical
patient record that is helping Washington Hospital identified outcomes among its diabetic patient
the diabetic patients at highest risk population. Prior to the disease
us resolve the segmentation for complications and measured management initiative, Washington
the effectiveness of its new scored three points greater than
of healthcare.” process changes. the median and zero at benchmark
(defined as 90th percentile of
Two major process changes were performance) on 13 diabetes-specific
Jeff Minteer, M.D. instituted. The first identified measures when compared against
diabetic patients when they came its peer group within a national
Associate Residency Director in for an office visit. Staff created research organization (PPRNet).
Washington Hospital a workflow chart in the Practice After the process changes, the
Partner solution with a diabetic- hospital scored nine points greater
specific flowsheet that was than the median and four points
completed prior to the patient’s greater than the benchmark against
visit. When the patient arrived for the same peer group.
the visit, the resident would know
the patient was diabetic and could Washington Hospital’s financial
order any necessary lab work. performance also skyrocketed. Prior
to the new processes, the residency
The second process change received Highmark’s lowest level
established outbound communi- of quality bonus. After the new
cation for preventive care. Nurses processes, the bonus increased
were trained as diabetes educators to the highest level, resulting in
and communicated with the additional annual revenue of
diabetic patients through e-mail $50,000. The financial gain enabled
messages and mailings to help the practice to hire another nurse
ensure they scheduled and to run the disease management
completed their visits. program.
“Already having an EHR in place “McKesson has given us a step
was crucial for instituting a disease toward a longitudinal patient
management program,” Dr. Minteer record that’s helping us resolve the
explains. “Our EHR provides segmentation of healthcare,” says
accurate clinical information Dr. Minteer. “We have better control
extracted directly from the chart — and access to data and can evaluate
and that information is available practice patterns, improve pay-for-
to multiple members of the performance activities and lessen
healthcare team.” errors with electronic reminders.”
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