Electronic health records a key factor
The federal grants are part of the Affordable Care Act, informally known as Obamacare.
One reason the Hudson Valley was elected for this program is the high-than-average adoption among primary-care providers of electronic health records (EHRs). Thanks to a 2007 $5 million state health grant, a positive response to federal incentives for adoption, and a vigorous education initiative, an estimated three-quarters of the Hudson Valley’s primary-care practices have implemented EHR capacities.
As Heslin is fond of saying, “Data’s just data. It’s just a tool.” A crucial benefit to EHRs, he has found, is that they enable medical practices to learn from each other. Sharing knowledge among practices on a regional level will turn out to be crucial in improving medical care.
“The coordination of care across the medical neighborhood” has recently become an industry catch-phrase. What does it mean?
Three elements are involved: Comprehensive primary care, with the primary-care provider as the lead in coordinating care; establishment of clear mechanisms for exchange of critical information with specialists, emergency care and hospitals; and finally the building of linkages to community-based resources to help patients meet their health goals.
Heslin ended his explanation with a spontaneous new mantra that may turn out to be the perfect fit for the situation undergoing its beta test in the Hudson Valley: “Proximity breeds productivity,” he said.
