WorldVistA announces the certification of their inpatient Electronic Health Records (EHR) product, WorldVistA EHR 2.0, in collaboration with and major funding provided by Oroville Hospital. Certifying the inpatient EHR is the first step that must be completed prior to the three stage process of proving meaningful use of the EHR system. To become certified Oroville Hospital collaborated with volunteers and the WorldVistA community to build and modify components in their current EHR system using new technology and innovative measures. The certifiable software, WorldVistA EHR 2.0, is the first of its kind created.
Implementing meaningful use of the EHR system will allow Oroville Hospital to prove it has achieved health and efficiency goals including reduction in errors, vast availability of records and data, and useful reminders and alerts. They will also be eligible for yearly grants deemed possible through ARRA’s,American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, of 2009 Stimulus Funds, which purpose is to expand high tech funds in healthcare.
Located in Oroville, California, Oroville Hospital is a 153 bed acute care facility specializing in a broad range of inpatient and outpatient services. Oroville Hospital is known as a leader in the hospital industry through its adoption and implementation of innovative techniques and technologies. Oroville Hospital joined forces with WorldVistA earlier this year in order to collaborate in building components in the EHR that would prove certifiable by the office of the National Coordinator for Health Information and Technology.
“I am very proud that our private hospital was able to implement and certify its EHR system using our own IT team,” said Denise LeFevre, Oroville Hospital’s Chief Information Officer. “This proves that with a little help and support any hospital will be able to achieve the same outcomes we have.”
WorldVistAis a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization incorporated in 2002 in California. Through the dedication of the WorldVistA community, volunteers, outside interested businesses, and Oroville Hospital, the WorldVistA EHR 2.0 has improved and adapted the overall functionality of the VA’s, Veteran’s Administration, highly acclaimed VistA software to support hospitals in non-VA settings.
“We are very pleased to be associated with WorldVistA, their talented people and state-of-the-art technology,” said Robert J. Wentz, CEO of Oroville Hospital. “We are very fortunate to have access to an open source product that will allow us to not be dependant on proprietary software in the future.”
Oroville Hospital is the first hospital in the nation to self install and jointly supports WorldVistA certification as well as uses its certified product, WorldVistA EHR 2.0, for meaningful use. Having completed certification on July 3rd, Oroville Hospital is now capable of demonstrating meaningful use this calendar year.
The open source software, WorldVistA EHR 2.0, is currently being packaged for release to the public to be made available for other hospitals to begin implementing. EHR software is the future of every healthcare organization. This proven open source solution makes it possible for healthcare organizations to affordably self implement and adapt a functionally rich EHR for their specific needs. It also provides the opportunity to participate in and leverage collaborative innovation in the global VistA ecosystem. In addition, the WorldVistA software empowers its users by allowing greater access through mobile devices.
Innovation and technology are the future of improving patient health and safety, and Oroville Hospital and WorldVistA are leading the way. Through collaboration and dedication these two entities have proven to be on the forefront of improving healthcare.