New Hanover Regional Medical Center is on the threshold of a new era in electronic health records management. Today the medical center announced that on June 2, it will move from its current electronic system to a new system, called NHRMC Connect, that will provide a single, shared and secure electronic health record.

The new system is designed by Epic, an industry leader in electronic health records, officials stated in the medical center’s news release. In October 2010, NHRMC’s board of trustees approved the $56 million project, which includes the software, hardware and system implementation.

 
According to the release, the benefits of NHRMC Connect to patients, families and clinicians are many. The system will enable authorized physicians and healthcare providers to more quickly access critical patient information, including medical history, test results and prescriptions. With real-time access to the shared information, members of health care teams at various locations can more efficiently collaborate on the best course of treatment for a patient, improve continuity of care and improve patient education.
“This is a sophisticated system that will allow all of our providers to care for patients in a more advanced way,” said Tad Dunn, M.D., chief medical information officer at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, in the release.  “Features like clinical physician support remind caregivers of patient allergies and other medical conditions, adding another level of safety and ensuring that our patients get the best possible care.”

NHRMC Connect will be going live June 2 in all areas of New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Cape Fear Hospital, NHRMC Health & Diagnostic sites, NHRMC’s Coastal Family Medicine and the NHRMC Outpatient Clinics.

New Hanover Medical Group, an NHRMC Physician Group practice, began using NHRMC Connect in November.  Another NHRMC Physician Group practice, Cape Fear Heart Associates, will use NHRMC Connect in its offices beginning June 4.
 
“Increasing integration across the region and the state will benefit patients who don’t receive all of their care in one location,” said NHRMC Connect program director Heather Thornton, in the release. “This can be particularly helpful if they travel to another area and need to go to another hospital.  If that hospital is on the Epic system physicians will be able to more quickly access the patient’s medical record and view the information they need to diagnose and treat the patient.”