At its core, Remaking American Medicine is a glimpse into the type of health care we can all have. It is about the pioneering work of providers, patients and their families, private purchasers, government agencies and others committed to making health care in America safe, evidence-based, efficient and effective. We call these people and organizations Champions of Change. Because there are many more stories about these groups and individuals than can be told in a four hour television series we’ll be featuring them here and in other areas of the Web site.
For the past 10 years, Dr. Tom Landholt of Springfield, Missouri has been leading a technological revolution in his clinic that focuses on patient-centered care. Rather than spending time on paperwork and charts, Dr. Landholt and his staff wanted to spend quality time helping patients.
To meet that goal, Dr. Landholt began utilizing electronic medical records (EMR) as part of his practice in 1995. Since then, every treatment room has a computer to access and update patient information. The overall costs of operating his practice have dropped while patient care has improved. He attributes this to better workflows including sending prescriptions to pharmacies electronically. Among the first to use electronic medical records, his prior experience in business has helped him develop into an industry consultant and a national speaker on office re-engineering.
As health care information technology evolved, Dr. Landholt also began to use Web-based technology that allows patients to make appointments online, check test results and communicate directly with his office. His Web site contains a wealth of educational videos and information for patients about managing specific diseases. You can visit his clinic Web site at www.yourdoc.net.
Converting an office to EMR can take several months, but it is an ongoing process and the efficiency and quality of care increases measurably. It includes continuous improvements in technology and staff training. Most importantly, patients are reassured by seeing their medical information along with the doctor, and reviewing it together cuts down on medication and other medical errors.
Dr. Landholt is also featured in the KETC/Primaris series "Remaking Missouri Medicine". For more information visit http://www.ketc.org/productions/remakingmomedicine.asp
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