SSM St. Mary's Launches EHR
October 30, 2009ST. LOUIS (Updated November 7, 2009) - Patients' paper medical charts virtually disappeared at 12:01 a.m. Nov. 7 as SSM St. Mary's Health Center launched its electronic health record, making it the sixth of seven SSM Health Care hospitals in the St. Louis area to go live with EHR.
SSM Health Care's conversion to EHR has now surpassed the halfway point. Eight of 15 SSM Health Care hospitals systemwide will have EHR.
"We are days away from truly having the information at our fingertips to make transformational change in the care we provide to our patients," said Bill Jennings, president of SSM St. Mary's. "The technology, all the new computers and intensive training are really about improving the care we provide our patients.
"EHR gives us the ability to identify best practices in care, avoid errors, and make sustained clinical improvement," Jennings said. "We already have very good clinical outcomes -- some of the best in the country. EHR will help accelerate our journey to provide the best care and best results for our patients."