BUFFALO, NY – The Catholic Independent Practice Association of Western New York is poised to automate its medical records and business practices.

CIPA, based in Buffalo, selected electronic medical record and practice management software from Westborough, Mass.-based eClinicalWorks for its network of ambulatory care offices and select community physicians. The organization purchased 150 licenses.

eClinicalWorks will work with the IPA to connect into HEALTHeLINK, the local regional health information organization.

"CIPA has long recognized the value that electronic medical records can provide to physicians, but we have also understood the burden of cost for a small practice," said Dennis Horrigan, president and CEO of CIPA. "In order to stimulate the adoption of technology CIPA has supported our physicians through incentives to implement an EMR and has doubled the adoption rate of the rest of the country."

Horrigan said CIPA selected eClinicalWorks because of the system's flexibility, supporting both primary care and specialty practices, and the company's ASP offering.

The Catholic Health System will host the solution for its CIPA members using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, allowing providers to access the system via a secure Internet connection.

eClinicalWorks EMR/PM is designed to enable CIPA members to streamline processes and promote patient safety while reducing costs, Horrigan said. Providers will also be eligible for a subsidy through the CIPA if they sign up before Dec. 31.

CIPA has also appointed Sarah Fleming to head a technical and clinical team to help physicians achieve meaningful use and NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home recognition.

"Community-based programs, such as CIPA, are an important part of managing patient care," said Girish Kumar Navani, CEO and co-founder of eClinicalWorks. "Using eClinicalWorks and connecting the system with the local RHIO will improve clinical care and communication between practices."