Joplin Clinic Rises From Rubble in 72 Hours

The devastating tornado that swept through Joplin, Missouri on May 22 completely destroyed a number of physician offices, including that of Tracy Godfrey, MD, a Family Practitioner with the Family Health Center of Joplin. But thanks to electronic health records, Godfrey had access to all of her patients' information, and in less than three days after the catastrophe, the practice was able to reopen its doors at a temporary location.

The Reality of Clinical Quality Measures

Many new EHR users currently view clinical quality measures as just another item on the checklist towards demonstrating meaningful use. However, veteran EHR users, like Northwest Health Services, Inc., see clinical quality measures as an important tool that enables providers to distinguish between perceptions and reality when it comes to patient care and outcomes.

The Power of Clinic EHR Leaders

Lee's Summit Physicians Group turned to one of their Pediatricians, Jennifer Sauer, MD, to lead their clinic through their EHR implementation after their EHR software arrived in the mail, but their EHR vendor couldn't be reached for months. As the group's appointed EHR leader, Sauer's determination, willingness to learn, along with her supportive and encouraging interaction with clinic personnel, enabled the group to successfully make the transition.

A Consumer's Perspective

Dayna McVeigh had never given electronic health records (EHRs) much thought, until she had to relocate her displaced parents after Hurricane Katrina. McVeigh witnessed firsthand the difference electronic health records make when rebuilding a life after a disaster.

Making the EHR Transition Easier

A few years ago, the Kneibert Clinic in Poplar Bluff, Missouri had staff working 24-hours a day, five days a week just to maintain and update thousands of paper health records. Tom Warner, assistant administrator at the Kneibert Clinic ushers a camera crew through the clinic to show how the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) has transformed their clinic today into a much more efficient and productive operation.

Going Electronic

Burton D. Cox, Sr., DO, a Family Practice physician at the Kneibert Clinic in Poplar Bluff, MO, never "messes" with computers outside his practice. However, Cox says he would never go back to paper records and that his use of electronic health records over the past five years has made him a better physician.