Optio Healthcare today announced that Smith Northview Hospital, a 31-bed facility in rural Georgia, has selected Optio's subscription-based electronic health record (EHR) solution, QuickRecord(R), to provide physicians with remote access to lab results--an effort that will help the facility increase bottom-line revenue.
Today's physicians demand the accessibility and convenience of remote access to patient information. "We're losing out on potential business without the ability to offer physicians remote access to test results," said Gilbert Kidd, director of lab services for Smith Northview. "QuickRecord's Web-based access to clinical data gives us the competitive advantage we need to win lab referrals with local physician practices, which will help us to increase revenue and ultimately improve the quality of patient care."
While Smith Northview expands its network of lab contracts, inter-facility processes will also benefit tremendously from this EHR implementation. Smith Northview utilizes a number of clinical systems including lab, radiology, document imaging, picture archive communication systems (PACS) and transcription. However, accessing documents within these systems demands multiple logins — making it impossible to view a patient's complete medical history through one application. With QuickRecord, physicians and caregivers will have instant access to a patient's health record, resulting in more timely and informed treatment decisions.
"We're excited about making our physician's lives easier with Optio QuickRecord Suite," said Chuck Roberts, Smith Northview's assistant administrator and director of business development. "The technology we have implemented stacks up well against many larger hospitals. We like to think of our facility as a high-tech hospital with a small-town feel."
Referring physicians will also benefit from Optio's EHR solution; they will be notified electronically when patients' test results are available and can securely view clinical data online from any Internet portal.
"We have been searching for two years for a solution to consolidate all of our electronic data into one composite patient view," said Shamb Purohit, Chief Financial Officer of Smith Northview. "Optio QuickRecord will provide our physicians with a single point of access and allow them to electronically sign documents and view lab results from any connected location, whether in the hospital, their office or their home." Purohit expects the implementation of QuickRecord to result in measurable cost savings, improved healthcare and more efficient administrative practices.
Smith Northview is among the estimated 2,000 rural hospitals across the United States challenged with finding affordable EHR solutions that comply with the nationwide push toward interoperable EHR systems. With QuickRecord, Smith Northview plans to take this electronic initiative one step further by consolidating disparate hospital information systems (HIS) into one central repository of patient information.
Smith Northview is one of 55 rural facilities that have joined HomeTown Health, a Georgia-based advocacy group that helps Georgia's rural healthcare facilities overcome cost-related adoption challenges by providing them with health information technology (HIT), strategies and training. As one of HomeTown Health's 30 business partners, Optio Healthcare has taken a proactive approach to expanding EHR adoption to Georgia's rural communities. Optio QuickRecord boasts a rapid implementation rate, remote support and web-based training that specifically address the budget and staffing restrictions common in small hospitals.
"This partnership is further proof of Optio's commitment to providing small hospitals with the technology needed to deliver quality care," said Mike McGuire, Optio's senior vice president and general manager of healthcare sales and service. "We expect Smith Northview to be the first of many HomeTown Health members throughout Georgia to take advantage of our affordable, subscription-based EHR model."
November 11, 2021 
