Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc (VITL) has announced that North Country Hospital in Newport is now connected to the state’s health information network. North Country Hospital is currently sending its clinical data, such as lab results and radiology reports to VITL. Once the VITL Access portal is live later this year, physicians will be able to securely and electronically access their patients’medical information from North Country Hospital and other participating health care facilities through Vermont’s health information network with the goal of improving the quality of care delivery, and enhancing patient safety and outcomes.
‘We are pleased to be contributing to Vermont’s Health Information Exchange (VITL). The greatest value of the exchange is to the community and to the providers outside the hospital system,’said Ervin Goodwin, director of information systems at North Country Hospital in Newport. ‘Having electronic access to their patient information is vital to their adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and the best care of their patients.’
Managed by VITL, the statewide health information network fulfills a critical component of Vermont’s health care reform efforts to build and maintain electronic health information systems. Through VITL, other health care organizations with patients receiving care at the connected hospitals can receive data directly into
their electronic health records systems. This ensures the data is always available for providers to use, and can help improve the quality of care, as providers will have faster access to more complete information.
‘With North Country Hospital’s connection to VITL, almost all Vermont hospitals are now participating in the health information network,’said John K. Evans, president and CEO of VITL. ‘Work is ongoing to connect the remaining facilities in order to provide participating health care providers with the vitally important and up-to-date clinical information they need at the point of patient care.’
About VITL: Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc. (VITL) is a non-profit organization that assists Vermont health care providers statewide with adopting and using health information technology to improve the quality of care delivery as well as to enhance patient safety and outcomes. Comprised of a collaborative group of stakeholders including health plans, hospitals, physicians, other health care providers, state government, employers, and consumers, VITL is the designated health information exchange (HIE) for the state of Vermont and also the state’s federally-designated regional extension center. For more information, please visit www.vitl.net.