NEWS RELEASE
VIRGINIA WOMEN’S CENTER

Richmond medical practice a leader in electronic health records

(September 22, 2009  Richmond, Virginia) – Virginia Women’s Center has won the Davies Award for exemplary implementation of electronic health records, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) announced today on Capitol Hill.

The women’s health practice is also the first Virginia recipient in the award’s 16-year history. HIMSS bestows the award annually in honor of Nicholas E. Davies M.D., whose vision was to improve patient care through better health information management.

Virginia Women’s Center implemented electronic health records for all of its patients in Central Virginia between 2004 and 2007.

“For all intents and purposes, we are paperless,” said Kathryn K. Stout, M.D. of Virginia Women’s Center,

Virginia Women’s Center’s leadership team began researching electronic health records (EHR) in 1996, in response to concerns about increasingly onerous chart documentation and access as the practice grew.

 “Our practice decisions have always been strictly guided by the question, ‘What is best for the patient?’ This commitment has served us well as we have navigated the many challenges facing medical practices today,” Stout said. “We continue to raise the bar for ourselves in patient care, education and safety, customer service and workflow efficiencies. Adopting electronic health records has been a successful means to that end, and it’s truly gratifying for our efforts to be recognized.”

Virginia Women’s Center began implementing EHR in its then newly-established Kilmarnock office in 2004. The practice completed implementation at its four Richmond locations, including an information technology overhaul at its business office, during 2007.

HIMSS defines the EHR as a longitudinal electronic record of patient health information generated by one or more encounters in any care delivery setting. Included in this information are patient demographics, progress notes, problems, medications, vital signs, past medical history, immunizations, laboratory data and radiology reports. The EHR automates and streamlines the clinician's workflow. The EHR has the ability to generate a complete record of a clinical patient encounter—as well as supporting other care-related activities directly or indirectly via interface—including evidence-based decision support, quality management and outcomes reporting.
  
“The recipients of the HIMSS Davies Award are leaders in EHR implementation as they prove that technology can be leveraged to produce value and achieve patient safety and quality outcomes with a positive ROI,” said David Collins, HIMSS director, healthcare information systems. “As the country moves closer to nationwide use of the electronic health record, these healthcare leaders should be considered as valuable examples and resources for EHR success.”

For the first time, HIMSS announced the award recipients during National Health IT Week with H. Stephen Lieber, CAE, president/CEO of HIMSS, recognizing the honorees during a press conference at the House Triangle on Capitol Hill. HIMSS recognized Virginia Women’s Center in the “ambulatory” category and also gave awards for businesses in organization, community health and public health settings.

Virginia Women’s Center is central Virginia’s largest provider of individualized obstetric and gynecologic care, with 26 physicians and 12 nurse practitioners at five clinical sites. Subspecialties include urology, clinical research, mammography, bone health, nutrition counseling and mental-health counseling.