Health IT Transformation: Inside the Journey to a Digital-First Health Record

Original Broadcast November 19, 2024

Presented by Maximus

Featuring:

• Bill Tinston, Director, Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) Office
• Kelley Harar, Vice President, Federal Health, Maximus

Bill Tinston and Kelley Harar, discuss the federal shift toward a unified electronic health record (EHR). The EHR, branded MHS Genesis, is used across departments like the Department of Defense (DoD), Veteran's Affairs (VA), Coast Guard, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), providing one standardized health record that follows patients across care facilities. Tinston emphasizes that this system aids in seamless clinical decision-making and benefits claims processing by capturing patient history, especially for veterans. Despite challenges in adoption due to workflow changes, Tinston notes that bringing experienced users to new facilities has improved the transition. Harar adds that creating a digital-first infrastructure fosters better patient outcomes and improves efficiency for healthcare providers. She shares the importance of user training for successful adoption, allowing the EHR to standardize processes while meeting individual healthcare needs. Both leaders agree that tracking metrics like provider satisfaction is crucial, as many clinicians face burnout, and improving their experience with innovations like AI-supported documentation and telehealth can make care more efficient. Overall, they argue, health IT transformation is a complex, iterative process that prioritizes better service delivery and patient outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

1. Unified Health Record System: The transition to a single, federal electronic health record (EHR) system across agencies (such as DoD and VA) enables consistent, coordinated care for 10 million patients. 

2. Enhanced Provider Efficiency and Patient-Centered Care: The new EHR standardizes workflows, which is critical in managing digital patient care while easing provider workload. 

3. Challenges in Adoption and Transformation: Transitioning from legacy systems requires significant cultural and operational adjustments, with challenges in provider adoption due to changes in workflows.