Revere Winthrop Pediatrics Prepares for PCC EHR

Recently, we featured an article about The Pediatric Center of Stone Mountain Georgia, which was the first practice to go online with PCC EHR this past March. We are now excited to let you know about another practice preparing to go online with PCC EHR in June! Revere Winthrop Pediatrics (RWP) in Massachusetts has been working closely with PCC's EHR Implementation Coordinator, Lisa Legge, to prepare their office for their fast approaching transition to electronic health records.

RWP has already begun making changes to prepare for PCC EHR, beginning with a workflow analysis that helped illuminate ways the practice could streamline some of their processes. RWP has adopted a more effecient process where forms that previously relied on handwritten information are now being automatically generated by Partner. This change will help the practice save valuable time that will become especially important when they go online with PCC EHR.

Providers at the practice have also been working to create personalized templates for specific visits that will be incorporated into PCC EHR. PCC has learned that each provider charts differently, which is why PCC EHR has functionality that accommodates many work styles through the use of customized templates. (Learn more about Customizable Charting in PCC EHR). Providers at RWP have also been busy creating a list of medications they use at their practice, which will be incorporated into PCC EHR. Office Manager Carolyn Pivnick, said the doctors are very much on board with the process and have been great in completing the clinical information needed to help move the implementation process forward.

Several weeks ago, PCC installed a version of PCC EHR at the office so providers and staff can familiarize themselves with the software. Next week an updated version of the software will be installed in the office and more formal training will begin. The practice will also receive a number of different laptops and a tablet to train on, and will then be able to finalize their hardware needs and preferences for using PCC EHR.

In addition to the practice's four providers, they also have a large number of medical assistants due to the  practice's long hours and numerous shifts, explained Pivnick. The practice is open seven days a week, from 7:30 a.m. during the week days, and until 8:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. All of the practice's clinical staff will be trained to use PCC EHR.

Asked about their decision to be one of the very first practices to implement PCC EHR in their office, Pivnick said, "We know there will be ups and downs during the process, but that's to be expected as part of any major transition. The problem with hospital-based EMRs is that they require a tremendous amount of changes to accommodate a pediatric practice like ours, and can take years before it works the way you want. What we like about PCC EHR, is that it is tailored to our individual needs right from the beginning."

RWP is on schedule to go live with PCC EHR at the beginning of June, and Pivnick said they are looking forward to the transition. "PCC's staff have been great as always–very knowledgeable–and they have put a lot of time and effort into the success of our EHR."