Small practice's record-keeping gets big notice
By KALEY LYON
PLAINVILLE -- More than 1,000 miles from New York City, one rural Kansas physician recently found her clinic in the national spotlight.
Earlier this month, an article in the New York Times featured Dr. Jen Brull and Plainville Medical Clinic's efforts to implement electronic medical records technology.
"I think that regardless of benefits and regardless of costs, all of us recognized in 20 years you will not see a paper medical chart, I don't think," Brull said. "So I think all of us recognized the fact that we had to do it. We had to get through the transition phase and do it."
The family practice took the plunge in fall 2007 and implemented the new technology in phases after staff completed the necessary training. Electronic billing began Jan. 1, 2008, followed by electronic scheduling a month later.
Since then, Brull's staff has continued efforts to convert nearly 3,000 patients from paper files to digital health records, and the transition is nearly complete.
"We're really close to being completely electronic," Brull said.
The clinic is staffed by three physicians, also including Dr. Dan Sanchez and Dr. Lynn Fisher. The practice rents office space in the recently constructed Rooks County Health Center.
With the three practices combined, the clinic has a total of about 8,000 patients, according to the article.
The technology is an up-and-coming trend, with money earmarked in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to boost information technology in health care.
But in Plainville, the costs -- estimated at $50,000 -- were paid out of pocket, Brull said, noting some reimbursement might be possible from the national legislation.
Long-term, however, cost savings are expected to exceed start-up costs. With money saved on office supplies such as paper and ink cartridges, Brull said she expects to break even in about five years.
And cost savings isn't the only benefit. The increased technology has enabled the staff to work more efficiently, with less time spent rummaging through paperwork, she said.
"Really, no one would ever want to go back," Brull said, noting her staff was supportive of the change. "It's so much better, so much easier to access the information."
The system also has proven to be an asset to patient care. The technology checks possible medical reactions for patients taking several medications.
In one instance, Brull was able to notify a patient immediately when two specialists unknowingly prescribed different drugs that would possibly have resulted in a harmful interaction, she said.
The computer also tracks the patients' lab work and reminds staff when each patient is due for vaccines, mammograms or a variety of other tests.
Doctors also have the ability to access a patient's records from outside the clinic, but the network is secured to prevent outside interference.
"I think patients have been very supportive and appreciative," Brull said. "I sometimes have patients call me at home, and it's very nice to be able to get into their record and know what's going on."