“We began our search for an electronic record almost two years ago, and we had a long list of requirements. We needed to make sure the one we selected would not only meet our needs now, but also into the future. As resources have become so critical, we must focus our efforts on providing services in the most efficient way.” said Tina Swathwood, VP of Business Operations for CBHC.
CBHC has had a team of staff working on the transition to an electronic record since November 2011. As with many nonprofit agencies, the IT budget was limited and it was a conscious decision on the part of the Board and the senior management staff to obtain the necessary funding to successfully transition to an electronic health record. An EHR allows healthcare providers to record patient information electronically instead of using paper records. However, EHRs are often capable of doing much more than just recording information. The Florida State Medicaid Agency has implemented an EHR incentive program which allows for eligible providers to receive incentive payments over a 6 year period as they demonstrate meaningful use of their chosen EHR. The Incentive Program asks providers to use their systems capabilities to achieve benchmarks that can lead to improved patient care. CBHC applied and qualified for the program which will be used to offset the cost. As health care providers transition to electronic records, information will be more accessible to providers and to clients served. Privacy and security are of the utmost importance and information is protected according to the applicable Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act standards.
Irene Toto, CEO of CBHC stated “Our team sat through many webinars and presentations for this specialized software, and ultimately we were most impressed with the Echo team and their product. We believe this transition will allow us to serve Clay County more efficiently. In the end we all win, our staff spends more time counseling, our client’s information is protected and accessible, and our community partners get data that validates our effectiveness.”
“Clay Behavioral Health Center Management staff commented that they were surprised how quickly clinical staff learned the Visual Health Record and the strong positive reaction to the software. The Echo Group is thrilled to be working with CBHC to make an impact in their organizations with intuitive clinical software tools.” remarked Joe Viger, VP of Business Development for The Echo Group.
ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations. Echo offers a suite of Windows-based and Web-based applications for Administrative, Fully Certified Clinical EHR and Billing functions. They also offer a suite of services, including Transaction Management Billing Services and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.