Brookings Health System Invited to Present on Healthcare Technology

  • September 27, 2011

Clinical Application Leaders Bev Cotton, RN, and Lynne Thompson, RN, review EHR information in one of the patient rooms at Brookings Health System.
Clinical Application Leaders Bev Cotton, RN, and Lynne Thompson, RN, review EHR information in one of the patient rooms at Brookings Health System.

Brookings Health System staff presented on Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology to other medical professionals in South Dakota on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) convention in Rapid City.

"The invitation to present by SDAHO confirms that Brookings Health System patients continue to receive the best-in-class care, combining the newest technology with personalized, attentive treatment," said Interim CEO Kevin Coffey.

SDAHO selected Brookings Health System to speak as the health system is currently the leading adopter of EHR technology in the state, making Brookings Health System one of the most technologically advanced hospitals in South Dakota.

Brookings Health System's Clinical Application Leaders Bev Cotton, RN, and Lynne Thompson, RN, as well as Information Management Director Brian Sterud shared best practices for EHR use with other healthcare professionals.

"The government has mandated that all physicians and their hospitals reach a certain threshold of Electronic Health Record adoption by 2015," said Coffey. "Brookings Health System's senior leadership chose to adopt EHR technology prior to the government deadline because the technology improves the overall quality of patient care."

EHR systems digitize patients' records, creating a complete set of patient information on computers and directly at care providers' fingertips. Computerized physician order entry, one component of EHR, increases patient safety by listing instructions for physicians to follow when they prescribe drugs to patients.

Brookings Health System was recognized as the first hospital in South Dakota to reach the HIMSS Stage 6 Electronic Medical Record (EMR) rating. The rating means Brookings Health System achieved a high degree of clinical automation that the organization incorporated into patient care services. Currently, Brookings Health System is working toward a HIMSS Stage 7 EMR rating, the highest rating possible.

About Brookings Health System
Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes a 49-bed hospital, the 79-bed Brookview Manor nursing home, and Brookhaven Estates apartments. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock medical-nursing care for patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.