The HIT solutions will be automated, from registration and scheduling, up to a computerized physician order entry (CPOE). The automation benefits will extend into the community and allow patients to communicate securely with their provider while allowing providers to manage the electronic health records (EHR) of patients located outside the community. The integrated approach will automate paper processes in nearly every area, creating a leaner, more efficient system for the caring of Alaskan natives.

Some of the benefits of the intended HIT solutions include the use of CPOE to communicate, receive, and document patient care decisions more efficiently and effectively, reducing error during medication administration through barcode verification for each patient, ensuring the correct drug, patient, dose, and time correspond; linking information from medical devices in critical-care units directly to a patient's EHR helping to eliminate the need to enter patient information manually; and a maternity PowerChart solution, which enhances the level of care and attention to both mother and child, helping to eliminate duplicate entry documentation. All the HIT solutions will be provided by Cerner (Kansas city, MO, USA), and are expected to be available by October 2011.

"We chose Cerner because they understand that the real beneficiary of this technology is the person who will be receiving personalized care,” said Dan Neumeister, administrator of the ANMC. "For more than 30 years, Cerner has shared our vision for better population health through wellness and prevention, which we view as a critical focal point for a healthy tribal community for generations to come.”

Related Links:
Alaska Native Medical Center
Cerner