McKesson, the world's largest healthcare services, automation and healthcare information technology company, announced today that it has signed an $8 million agreement with Opelousas General Health System (OGHS) of Opelousas, La. OGHS will deploy a wide range of clinical, automation and financial solutions to empower physicians and other care team members in the delivery of patient safety and effective patient care at the 188-bed full service medical center.
Working in close collaboration with its physicians, OGHS will use McKesson’s Horizon Clinicals® solution suite to create a comprehensive electronic health record (EHR) for patients. The system will allow for more informed clinical decision-making and greater continuity of care by providing secure patient information when and where it’s needed.
“The use of information and automation solutions will not only enable us to enhance the workflow for our physicians and other caregivers, but will help us provide patients with an unparalleled level of health care quality and patient safety,” said Gerald Fornoff, OGHS President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our goal is to provide the best care in the region, and this project represents our commitment to the well-being of our patients and community.”
Using a full range of Horizon Clinicals, the hospital will be able to securely connect clinical point-of-care applications to an electronic data repository. For example, a care documentation system will enable nurses and other members of the care team to review patient status efficiently, and then record clinical assessments and findings into the EHR — all at the bedside or from other points of care. Employing an intelligent documentation system gives caregivers the ability to quickly locate and focus on the most important patient information.
"This is another way Opelousas General is keeping up with modern technology,” said Wayne Gilmore, OGHS Chairman of the Board. “With these solutions our staff will be able to provide better and faster service to our patients while ensuring greater patient safety."
Traditionally a “best-of-breed” organization, reviewing products from multiple vendors and awarding contracts based on individual departmental needs, OGHS decided to move to a single-vendor solution offering a variety of systems that could be efficiently integrated into one supportable system. The hospital selected McKesson, which already provided some of the organization’s financial management solutions, following a competitive bid process.
“From an IT perspective, it was costly to pay multiple vendors for maintenance contracts and upgrades,” said Jared Lormand, Chief Information Officer, OGHS. “Normal IT functions became laborious and expensive due to the sheer magnitude of the disparate systems we were supporting.”
With the deployment of integrated solutions from McKesson, caregivers will have instant access to the most up-to-date clinical patient data available. To further enhance patient care, computerized physician order entry (CPOE) solution will provide physicians and other clinicians with advanced evidence-based guidelines at the moment of decision making. A bar-code scanning solution will help nurses to check for the “five rights” of medication administration — right patient, right drug, right dose, right time and right route.
In addition, McKesson’s physician portal technology will enable secure, Web-based access to patient information regardless of the physician’s location — in the hospital, the office, at home or elsewhere. The physician will have access to all patient records, including digital x-rays, and be able to electronically verify patient orders.
To streamline the laboratory process and connect it to other clinical settings, OGHS will use the Horizon Lab™ solution for order entry, specimen management, information distribution, billing and financial management. And integrated surgical and supply chain solutions will help OGHS leverage resources, lower costs, and improve decision-making by connecting all parts of the organization responsible for financial management and clinical outcomes.
“Opelousas General has a long history of setting the standard for patient care and safety in their community,” said Duncan James, Group President, Health Systems, McKesson Provider Technologies. “We look forward to our expanded partnership and the opportunity to use the power of technology to help physicians and other clinicians make the most informed patient care decisions.”
About Opelousas General Health System
Established in 1957, OGHS has grown to a 188-bed full service medical center located in Opelousas, La. Fully accredited by a wide variety of national and state agencies, Opelousas General Health System is particularly recognized for its fully comprehensive Cancer Treatment Center and outpatient oncology programs as well as its Women’s Health Center and full-service Pediatric Treatment Unit. OGHS was awarded among the nation’s “Most Wired” Hospitals for 2005 and 2006 by the American Hospital Association’s H&HN Magazine. For more information, visit http://www.opelousasgeneral.com.
About McKesson
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and healthcare information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, marking its 175th anniversary this year. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients