SPOKANE, WA – The National eHealth Collaborative (NeHC) issued a statement Nov. 2 praising the Inland Northwest Health Services for helping 12 hospitals in the Northwest attest to meaningful use.
INHS is a health care IT vendor that provides meaningful use, advanced clinical and financial systems consulting services for hospitals and physicians nation wide. Nineteen of INHS’ networked-hospitals are ranked by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine as the “100 Most Wired” in the country. The INHS health information technology network includes more than 4,000 physicians, 450 clinics and physician offices and 3.5 million electronic health records.
The 12 hospitals using certified technology solutions and consulting services from Inland Northwest Health Services (INHS) are among the first in Washington state to successfully attest and receive payment notice through the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program for meeting Meaningful Use Stage 1 criteria, according to NeHC.
[See also: Washington State unveils health data exchange map.]
Ranging from 25-bed to 623-bed facilities, each of the 12 Medicare and Medicaid-eligible hospitals demonstrated meaningful use by providing metrics on how each hospital has achieved the meaningful use objectives and clinical quality measures as reported to CMS' web-based Registration and Attestation System, the statement by NeHC said.
“INHS continues to provide the expertise and resources needed to position our hospital to reach this meaningful use attestation milestone,” said Harry Geller, administrator for Othello Community Hospital, a critical-access hospital more than 100 miles west of Spokane. “This creates an opportunity for our region’s hospitals and community members to benefit as part of our ongoing efforts to remain at the forefront of technology adoption.”
Part of a national program to increase and improve technology usage in health care, more than $40 million will be awarded to the 12 hospitals through the government sponsored EHR incentive programs.
“With decreasing reimbursements, hospitals must look for innovative and more efficient ways to improve patient care,” said Tom Fritz, chief executive officer of INHS. “Our region’s hospitals are committed to advancing health information technology solutions to achieve the highest levels of patient outcomes and continuity of care. We are proud of their accomplishments in achieving meaningful use criteria and look forward to helping other hospitals achieve the same benefits.”
[See also: Washington state doctors wary of regional healthcare quality study.]
According to INHS, the following hospitals on the INHS network have achieved meaningful use:
- Mason General Hospital – Shelton, Wash.
- Mid-Valley Hospital – Omak, Wash.
- Othello Community Hospital – Othello, Wash.
- Providence Holy Family Hospital – Spokane, Wash.
- Providence Mount Carmel Hospital – Colville, Wash.
- Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital – Spokane, Wash.
- Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital – Chewelah, Wash.
- Pullman Regional Hospital – Pullman, Wash.
- Samaritan Healthcare – Moses Lake, Wash.
- St. Elizabeth Hospital – Enumclaw, Wash.
- Sunnyside Community Hospital – Sunnyside, Wash.
- Whitman Hospital & Medical Center – Colfax, Wash.
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