Putnam County Hospital to install new information system

Putnam County Hospital has announced the purchase and impending implementation of the CPSI Healthcare Information System.

With the system, PCH will be integrating departments to bring together patient data in a way that will allow the hospital to achieve greater efficiencies in operations as well as providing a higher level of patient care to the community.

The system will include clinical applications to tie in such areas as the laboratory, radiology and the pharmacy.

The system includes integrated patient safety features to help ensure that medications, tests and therapies are not duplicated or cause an unintended reaction. Advanced, wireless point-of-care capabilities will bring the latest available stay information from the clinical departments to the patient bedside.

Patient assessment information and vital signs entered at the bedside by the nursing staff as well as results from the clinical departments will also be available immediately to the patient's physician. Capturing all of that information in electronic format results in a complete electronic medical record (EMR) that can be shared simultaneously throughout the hospital.

Real-time patient care information, available to caregivers regardless of whether the caregiver is in the hospital, at the doctor's office, or at home on-call, will reduce the hospital's dependence on paper records and hand written notes. A clear on-line electronic medical record will allow quicker, more informed care decisions based upon up-to-the-minute information. The CPSI System will make this efficiency of information possible.

This efficiency of information will also be brought to the hospital's financial operations. Efficiencies will be realized in the processing stay information to allow timely completion and submission of insurance claims. This will in turn mean quicker reimbursements. Efficiencies in PCH financial operations will make a stronger hospital and allow us to continue to bring high-quality healthcare services to the community.

CPSI has committed to providing training representatives during the installation and implementation of the system, giving Putnam County Hospital confidence in the transition phase.

A dozen other Indiana hospitals have installed the CPSI system over the past several years and have also been helpful in providing insight and advice for the upgrade.

"With numerous CPSI installation representatives onsite for the next several weeks, we are hopeful for a seamless transition," Putnam County Hospital CEO Dennis Weatherford said.

"The system upgrade will prove to be greatly beneficial to our patients and our community," he continued.

During this transition, the registration process could be temporarily prolonged as every patient's information will need to be entered into the new system, including those that have been a patient at PCH before.

"We ask for patience in the beginning as we all become accustomed to the new system," Weatherford added.

Founded in 1979, CPSI is a leading provider of healthcare information solutions for community hospitals with more than 650 client hospitals in 47 states.