Press Releases: National
March 10, 2006
Kaiser Permanente Physician Leaders to Speak on Electronic Health Records at AMGA Conference
"It's Not About the Box," Says National Leader of KP HealthConnect
San Antonio, Tex. – Implementing a large electronic health records (EHR) system is about more than the hardware and software, says Dr. Louise Liang of Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Liang is the health plan's Senior Vice President for Quality and Clinical Systems Support, and the leader of Kaiser Permanente's industry-leading work on EHRs.
Her presentation at the American Medical Group Association conference on March 18th will focus on best practices from the Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect implementation.
"I think it's important to remember that EHRs are not all about the technology," says Dr. Liang. "Our implementation at Kaiser Permanente has worked as well as it has because we've focused as much on the human side of the EHR as the hardware side, emphasizing physician and staff readiness, personal care and empathy and changes in work processes as we install computers in patient exam rooms."
The KP HealthConnect electronic health record system represents a multi-billion dollar investment for Kaiser Permanente. The system integrates inpatient and outpatient clinical records for its 8.4 million members with evidence-based protocols, best-practice alerts and other physician decision-support tools. KP HealthConnect records are available to Kaiser Permanente care givers 24/7 and members, through the secure kp.org web site, will have access to key portions of their medical record and the ability to send secure email messages to their doctor's office. More information about the system can be found at http://ckp.kp.org/kpindepth/.
Dr. Liang will be joined at the conference by colleague Bruce Perry, MD, of Kaiser Permanente's Georgia region. Dr. Perry will speak to his region’s experience and the human side of the equation, readying clinicians for the implementation of the EHR.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.6 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.
