Representatives from North Sunflower Medical Center and McKesson Solutions gathered at the Lion’s Den in downtown Ruleville Monday afternoon to kick off the hospital’s switch to the McKesson Paragon system. This system will put every hospital record on computer in real time, so that each department of the hospital has access to up-to-date information on each patient.
During a launch party Monday afternoon, Joanie Perkins, who is spearheading the NSMC side of this transition, spoke about how the process got started.
“This is a huge project we are undertaking,” said Perkins. “It’s going to be a tough road but we’re ready.”
NSMC is shifting from a paper-based records system to one based on electronic health record technology.
The hospital purchased the Paragon system, which will put every record at the hospital on electronic file, from McKesson Solutions.
This system will provide “seamless integration across the medical center,” according to information from McKesson Solutions.
“This strategic initiative with McKesson enables us to embark on a whole new level of big hospital healthcare in one of the most economically challenged communities in the country,” said Perkins in a press release. “Our new systems are designed to provide a safety-net under every nurse, physician, pharmacist and patient, with unprecedented information access and sharing capabilities that will support high-quality, safe healthcare.”
Though this initiative was launched Monday, it has been in the works for quite some time.
“This is really week 20,” Perkins said during the launch. “We have made big changes in our infrastructure.”
As a way to prepare for the switch to the Paragon system, NSMC has been completely rewired for connection.
Over the past few months, the network at NSMC has been upgraded to fiber optic — so that the hospital is “working at the speed of fiber.”
The money used to upgrade the infrastructure and to purchase 16 laptops to kick start the Paragon system was provided by McKesson Solutions, as a way to help with implementing the system.
Funding for the rest of the project will come from incentive money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, once NSMC has spent a year with the new system.
“We’re taking advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime stimulus opportunity to invest in our future and the future of our community with the best healthcare IT solutions available today,” said Perkins in a press release.
“We have come a long way since 2004,” said NSMC CEO Billy Marlow of the hospital’s transition. “It’s very clear who brought us here. Just about everybody here has been here since we converted (to a critical access center in 2004).”
NSMC is expected to go live with the Paragon system early November 2011.