Pioneering McKesson technologies will reduce potential for errors, enhance care

Ontario’s Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and Windsor Regional Hospital launched QUEST for eCare, a joint initiative designed to enhance Quality, Utilization, Efficiency, Safety and Technology, to ultimately benefit patient care. Through an agreement with McKesson Provider Technologies, Chatham-Kent and Windsor Regional will implement a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and clinical decision support (CDS) system across both facilities to electronically assist 450 physicians in making the best patient care decisions.

McKesson’s Horizon Experts Orders^™ not only improves the accuracy of entering medication and other patient care orders, but also provides clinical guidance and best practices on how to treat hundreds of medical conditions. The system will be integrated with McKesson’s pharmacy information system so the patient’s most current medication and allergy information is available to all clinicians, further reducing the risk of medication errors.

“Computerized physician order entry is part of our strategic roadmap for continuing to elevate the standard of patient care that we provide to the community,” said Chief Information Officer Sharon Pfaff, who also serves as chief executive officer of Consolidated Health Information Services, the non-profit information technology (IT) arm of Chatham-Kent and Windsor Regional. “Our goal is not only to automate the ordering process, but also to provide physicians with the decision support to manage complex patient care interactions. We are one of the few organizations in our region to implement such an advanced system. This initiative builds on the success we’ve had with other McKesson technologies and should enable us to elevate the clinical excellence we strive for in every patient interaction.”

According to Pfaff, ease of use and integration were key factors in selecting Horizon Expert Orders. Chatham-Kent and Windsor Regional each have a full suite of technologies, including patient processing, patient accounting, radiology, lab, clinical documentation and physician portal. Prior to rolling out CPOE/CDS, Consolidated Health Information Services will unite the data centers at each hospital, upgrading the current systems and convert to a new clinical repository as well as a pharmacy information system known as Horizon Meds Manager. The system enables healthcare system pharmacies to review and process medication orders electronically, eliminating manual transcription and clerical tasks. It also provides pharmacists with clinically relevant data so they can  more effectively monitor drug therapy to ensure safe, appropriate medication use. 

Physicians at both hospitals are eager to build on the gains already made with existing technology, Pfaff reported. In 2004, Chatham-Kent rolled out a physician portal, which allows physicians to connect to the hospital with secure “anywhere, anytime” access. Through the portal, physicians can seamlessly access patient medical histories, test results, medication orders and other critical data needed for informed and timely decision making. Pfaff  noted that the portal laid the groundwork for physician “buy in” and adoption of IT.

“Today’s healthcare environment is extremely complex, but at the end of the day, physicians want to provide the best care, and hospitals must do whatever they can to make them more efficient and effective,” stated Pfaff, noting that offering physicians cutting-edge technology is especially important in the cities of Chatham-Kent and Windsor Essex where physician recruitment is an issue.

“McKesson’s Horizon Expert Orders will help us support our physicians in the delivery of care by providing tools to ensure a safe and quality environment for patients. It will also make our care environment more efficient for physicians.”
Duncan James, group president for McKesson Provider Technologies’ Health Systems Solutions, welcomes the opportunity to build on the partnership with Chatham-Kent and Windsor Regional. “We are pleased to be able to strengthen our contribution to their success by delivering proven technologies that help reduce variability in care and enhance patient safety,” James said. “Chatham-Kent and Windsor Regional’s investment in advanced information technology that support caregivers with information when and where it’s needed is a reflection of their leadership and deep commitment to the community.”

Ron Dunn, vice president for Information Solutions, McKesson Canada, added: “It’s exciting to work with these two progressive organizations as they move forward with a comprehensive approach to patient safety that targets reducing medication errors at each stage where they can occur while also improving the quality of care delivery.”  
 
About Chatham-Kent Health Alliance 
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is a proud partnership of St. Joseph’s, Public General and Sydenham District Hospitals, operating 300 beds across campuses in Chatham and Wallaceburg in Southwestern Ontario. For more information: www.ckha.on.ca
 
About WindsorRegionalHospital
Windsor Regional Hospital provides acute and continuing care services with 716-beds on various sites and is one of the largest non-teaching hospitals in the Province on Ontario. For mor information: http://www.wrh.on.ca/
 
About McKesson
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 16th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. Over the course of its 174-year history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare, and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information: www.mckesson.com.
 
About McKesson Canada
McKesson Canada is the leading provider of logistics as well as information products and services within the Canadian healthcare marketplace. McKesson offers a range of integrated solutions through five business units: McKesson Pharmaceutical, McKesson Logistics Solutions, McKesson Automation, McKesson Health Solutions and McKesson Information Solutions. For more information: www.mckesson.ca. 
 
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Media Contacts:
Sharon Pfaff, Executive Director, CHIS 510-437-6259
Robin Wrinn, McKesson Provider Technologies, 404-338-4249