Avera Medical Group Pierre’s Implementation of an eConsult Program: Bringing Specialty Practices to Patients in Rural South Dakota

Setting The Stage

Avera Medical Group Pierre has always embraced technology to improve operations. In 2005, the clinic converted its paper medical record process to an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. As of 2011, approximately 90% of the clinic’s documentation processes take place electronically. The EHR system the clinic integrated has components including computerized physician order entry, a laboratory information system, and a clinical decision support system. The conversion to an EHR has sped up coding and billing, record retrieval, transcription documentation management, and other processes. Technology can also be found in the Radiology Department where staff use a picture archiving and communication system, which has improved operations associated with medical images. The clinic also encourages its patients to use technology. On the clinic’s website are forms for patient information, notice of privacy practices, and HIPAA acknowledgement. Patients can print these forms at their convenience and fill out prior to their appointment at the clinic. This process speeds up registration time, which can be a great benefit for patients who are not feeling well.