=========================== JeffNEWS, November 15, 1994 =========================== New Healthcare Information System to Link All Patient Care Settings ------------------------------------------------------------------- A sophisticated healthcare information systems plan that eventually will electronically link all Jefferson healthcare services is now being implemented. When in place, the new system will enhance communication among healthcare providers, and coordinate and simplify patient registration, billing and medical records. The effect will be to enable us to provide higher quality care that is also cost effective. Central to the new system will be a common patient registration system across care delivery sites. This means that the patient will be identified easily and efficiently at any clinical or support site in the Jefferson system, including physician offices, inpatient, outpatient, home care, and subacute care settings. The plan was developed over a 20-week period by multidisciplinary working groups, representing our medical staff, the medical college and the hospital as well as the department of information systems (DIS). A key finding of the planning process was the need for a formal entity to establish priorities and lead the plan implementation process for health services information systems across Jefferson's divisions and departments. Accordingly, Jonathan E. Gottlieb, MD, associate dean for academic affairs, JMC, will chair a Health Services Information Strategy Committee whose other members include Janet E. Burnham, associate vice president for health services planning, and John P. Sullivan, associate vice president for human resources. Mary T. McNichol, previously the hospital clinical systems manager for DIS, will work with the new committee in the role of healthcare information systems manager. Members of the new committee will work closely with the Computers in Clinical Medicine Committee of the medical staff, and with DIS and other Jefferson information technology providers. The three-year implementation plan includes 10 priority projects for process improvement. Each of these projects will involve planning for a new way of working, acquiring information support and realizing benefits. All of the projects have the common goal of improving the information available to support the delivery of healthcare services, and education and research that takes place in the patient care setting. The first priority process to be redesigned is patient registration. Dr. Gottlieb recently announced the appointment of Susan Milner, director of space development for patient programs, as project manager for Jefferson Wide Patient Registration. Central to the new system will be a common patient registration system across care delivery sites. This means that the patient will be identified easily and efficiently at any clinical or support site in the Jefferson system, including physician offices, inpatient, outpatient, home care, and subacute care settings. We continue to make progress toward creating an integrated delivery system through establishing formal relationships with future institutional partners and their medical staffs. Healthshare ----------- The senior staffs of both Jefferson and the Main Line Health System have been working together to create a new organization, the Healthshare Group, as the foundation for a regional system that will have a full, coordinated continuum of care and access to that system of care throughout the region. Other goals include developing a system that can: effectively use resources by sharing technologies, expertise and clinical innovation; document its quality and cost effectiveness; effectively manage financial risk; and coordinate its undergraduate, graduate and continuing education for the medical and allied health professions. In addition to the meetings of our senior staff, Paul C. Brucker, MD, president, and James W. Stratton, Chairman of the Board, have formed three groups to provide recommendations and address the complex issues involved in the integration effort. The first subcommittee, appointed by Dr. Brucker and chaired by Robert A. Peterson, senior vice president for administration and finance and chief financial officer, is charged with analyzing how our current operations can be restructured in order to operate within the Healthshare model. Members of this subcommittee include: Janet E. Burnham, James B. Erdmann, PhD, Jean C. Givey, Lori McLaughlin, Esq., John A. Monnier, Harry S. Owens, Mark L. Richards and John P. Sullivan. The second group is a Trustee task force led by Jack Farber, chair-elect of the Board. This committee receives and reviews the recommendations of senior administration. In addition, a Healthshare Advisory Committee, consisting of senior administrators and Board members of both Jefferson and Main Line Health, meets periodically to discuss strategic issues as well as provide updates on the progress of both partners . Pennsylvania Hospital We continue to work with Pennsylvania Hospital to further our institutional relationships. Since we began working together approximately 17 months ago, there have been many accomplishments. These include: all Pennsylvania Hospital medical staff, with the exception of members of one Pennsylvania Hospital clinical department, have moved their academic affiliation to Jefferson; 96 Jefferson Medical College students are in core clerkships at Pennsylvania Hospital; 45 are in elective clerkships. We have established common residencies in orthopaedics, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and neurosurgery. Liaison has been established between the two CME offices, and cooperative planning on jointly sponsored programs is under way. Dr. Michael Buckley, Pennsylvania Hospital's chief of infectious diseases, has been appointed our director of clinical services in the division of infectious diseases; a combined obstetrical program feasibility study is under way, and there is clinical coordination between Wills Eye, Pennsylvania and Jefferson hospitals to form the neurosensory institute. Recently, Mr. Ed Boehne, the Chairman of the Board of Pennsylvania Hospital, was elected to Jefferson's Board of Trustees. We are also working together on a community needs assessment with Methodist and Wills, and several task forces are working to develop coordination in security, parking and transportation. Management Services Organization (MSO) -------------------------------------- A strong network of primary-care physicians is essential as we move toward a different era in healthcare delivery. In order to begin meeting this need, Jefferson is pursuing a model of relationships with primary-care practices which is designed to allow primary-care referrers to remain in private practice while providing them with the expertise and shared systems required to remain strong. The MSO is a multi-level management services organization with a range of services tailored to the needs of specific practices. The menu option allows primary-care physicians to purchase individual services at fair market value on a fee for service basis. Practices may also be fully managed. Letters are being sent to local primary-care physicians giving information about the MSO and asking them to contact us if they want more information. It is anticipated that the MSO will be integrated with the Healthshare initiative. We are meeting on a regular basis to ensure this capability. Physician Hospital Organization (PHO) ------------------------------------- The Ad Hoc Medical Staff Committee on Managed Care, with representatives from the full-time and volunteer faculty, Hospital and Medical College administration recommended formation of a Physician Hospital Organization (PHO) to enable Jefferson to more effectively address issues related to managed care, including coordinating discussion with managed care payors; providing analysis of opportunities and risks; promoting timely, coordinated decision making by all Jefferson parties, and allowing University providers to offer innovative, risk bearing reimbursement models. Medimetrix, a consulting firm, has been selected to assist Jefferson in the establishment of the PHO. A market assessment has been completed and four working groups charged: governance, finance and risk, network management and administration. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Information provided by: Editor, JeffNEWS (215) 955-6204 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------