Vermonts biggest health system is proposing that its four largest hospitals build a universal electronic health network that gives patients new ways to pay bills, schedule appointments and more easily view their medical records online.

But building the network wont be cheap or quickits expected to take about 40 months to develop the network. The University of Vermont Medical Center has filed an application with the states Green Mountain Care Board, which provides regulatory oversight to build and operate a unified digital healthcare network across four hospitals in the University of Vermont Health Network system: Central Vermont Medical Center, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, Elizabethtown Community Hospital and UVM Medical Center.

The electronic health network will cost $151.6 million funded over six years to build and operate. When complete the network would incorporate a health system that includes 1,100 hospital beds, about 1,100 physicians and 12,000 employees.

Vermont Health Network has the funding in place to build and operate the network and much of the initial planning work is complete, says a health system spokesman. Planning began about 18 months ago. But University of Vermont Medical Center wont develop a final schedule for building and launching the network until its applicationa document the health system calls a certificate of needis debated and approved by the Green Mountain Care Board, the spokesman says. The regulatory process, which includes public hearings, is likely to take several months.

Its important to move now to develop an updated digital healthcare network to replace a network of disparate systemseach hospital runs its own administrative and billing computer system and some software systems are 20 years old, the health system says. For example the University of Vermont Medical Center has different systems for inpatient and emergency room care and for laboratory testing, radiology imaging, operating rooms, billing and scheduling, says University of Vermont Medical Center CEO Dr. John Brumsted

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The time also has come for University of Vermont Medical Center to more aggressively in consumer-driven healthcare, Brumsted says. If a patient needs to go from their primary care providers office to a specialist, that specialist would have instant access to the patients full record rather than just portions that can be shared electronically today. There are still times when the medical records are faxed or even hand-delivered by the patient at the appointment. In urgent situations, and especially during an emergency, having immediate access to important information is critical.

The Vermont Health Network is starting with a significant technology base that includes a core electronic health records systems. In 2010 the health systems flagship hospitalUniversity of Vermont Medical Centerfinished the installation of an electronic health records system from Epic Systems Corp.

That Epic electronic health records system will be expanded to serve as the central data hub of clinical information to connect all four hospitals to a universal electronic network. The $151.6 million price tag includes $112.4 million to build the network, which includes paying for a more expensive Epic software license, and $42.4 million in additional implementation costs, the health system says.

Some specific upfront costs include:

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  • $36.4 million for third-party project managers and expenses.
  • $16.3 million in hardware and technology infrastructure upgrades.
  • $14.3 million for the updated Epic software license.
  • $15.2 million in Epic staff installation and travel costs.
  • $11.8 million in more internal staffing.

When complete the Vermont Health Network digital healthcare network would also have an updated patient portal called MyHealth Online that would give patients secure access to updated health, billing, scheduling and insurance information online. Patients could also access the digital health portal to schedule appointments, check lab and test results and communicate with doctors and other providers online.

This project will significantly improve the ability of our physicians, nurses and other caregivers to provide high-quality care, especially as we move into value-based care, says University of Vermont Medical Center chief information officer Dr. Adam Buckley. It will allow our providers to have immediate access to up-to-date information about a patient anywhere in the network, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of care.

Value-based programs reward healthcare providers with incentive payments for the quality of care they give to patients and is replacing fee for service methods as a payment model for most hospitals.

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