Georgia Hospital Health Services Provides Hospitals with Route to Meaningful Use Through Agreement with Prognosis Health Information Systems

HOUSTON, March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Hospital Association members can now get on the fast track toward "meaningful use" and qualify for incentive funds emanating from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), thanks to a purchasing agreement between Prognosis Health Information Systems, Inc. and Georgia Hospital Health Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Georgia Hospital Association.

Through the initiative, Georgia hospitals can quickly and cost effectively implement the ChartAccess® Comprehensive EHR. The program avails Georgia providers to special member pricing and the efficiencies associated with hosting the solution on a shared server at Marietta, Ga.-based Georgia Hospital Health Services (GHHS).

"We wanted to be able to provide access to an EHR solution that could really help our hospitals jump on the electronic health records bandwagon. We evaluated many of the major inpatient EMR/EHR vendors with the criteria that they had to be certified, cost effective and able to provide rapid implementation to help our hospitals meet portions of the meaningful use standards – and found the Prognosis solution best met these criteria," said Glenn Pearson, FACHE, Executive Vice President of GHA. "The pricing and SaaS delivery model -- meaning that hospitals don't have to go the slower and costlier client server route -- make ChartAccess a very attractive electronic health records option."

Most importantly, Prognosis' rapid deployment initiative enables hospitals to get the system fully operational in a matter of months, making it possible to meet the meaningful use deadlines emanating from the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) provisions of ARRA. As a result, hospitals can still qualify for their full share of the incentive funds.

Because the EHR is built on innovative technology, the solution can be implemented in quick order. A shared web-native EHR solution, ChartAccess is delivered via a "cloud computing" model, where the software applications are made available as a service over an encrypted health information network. The EHR provides clinicians with a complete view of patient data to support optimal and safe clinical care. Users can simply access the system by using a standard operating system and a secure browser.  

One of the first two Complete EHRs to receive ONC-ATCB-2011-2012 certification, the solution is designed to quickly lead providers toward meaningful use success. Designed by clinicians for clinicians, ChartAccess makes it easy to overcome many of the commonly cited cost, usability and workflow obstacles to EHR implementation. In addition, the solution meets the mobility needs of end-users with features such as iPhone and iPad applications that make it possible to view patient rounding lists, process orders and access results at the point of care.

"Our agreement with Georgia Hospital and Health Services illustrates exactly what we are trying to do as a company: Provide hospitals of all sizes with the innovative, and yet practical, technology that can help them quickly tap into the power of electronic records. And, of course, this mission is strongly resonating with hospitals that are currently seeking to meet the government's HITECH requirements," said Ramsey Evans, CEO of Prognosis.

For more information about purchasing ChartAccess through GHHS, please contact Prognosis at 877-485-6070, or GHHS at 770-249-4500.

About Prognosis

Prognosis Health Information Systems, Inc., Houston, aims to improve the quality and safety of patient care through ChartAccess, a certified Comprehensive EHR.  Designed to be fully operational in less than six months at a predictable, affordable cost, the solution enables hospitals to meet meaningful use and improve patient outcomes by leveraging built-in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) milestone and quality measure tracking functionality. PHIS uses 21st-Century technologies to offer small community hospitals a pure browser-based system that can run on-premise or in the cloud. For more information, go to www.prognosishis.com.

About GHA

The Georgia Hospital Association is a nonprofit trade association made up of member health systems, hospitals and individuals in administrative and decision-making positions within those institutions. Founded in 1929, GHA serves 170 hospitals in Georgia. Its purpose is to promote the health and welfare of the public through the development of better hospital care for all of Georgia's citizens. GHA members are committed to improving institutional health care services and, in turn, patient care. The association provides information and education on issues ranging from access to health care and clinical care updates, to effective hospital management and compliance with high-level accreditation standards. From its headquarters near Atlanta, GHA represents its members to Congress and the General Assembly and before federal and state regulatory agencies. GHA is an allied member of the American Hospital Association.

About GHHS

Georgia Hospital Health Services, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Georgia Hospital Association. GHHS was founded in 1989 for the purpose of partnering with companies to provide products and services at a discounted rate and/or with added benefits to member institutions. GHHS will also create programs and services that will meet a need that is not currently available through an established vendor offering. GHHS evaluates all of its potential vendor partners through a due diligence process and will only partner with those companies and programs that are of a high quality, provide exceptional benefit to members and fit within GHA's strategic plan.

SOURCE Prognosis Health Information Systems