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Six hospitals in the East Bay, California, are partnering to improve care for frequent emergency room (ER) patients.
Through the implementation of a software communication tool, PreManage ED system, all six hospitals will be alerted when a frequent patient registers at any one of their ERs.
The system, funded by Sutter Health’s non-profit foundation, Better Health East Bay, and the California Health Care Foundation, is the first data sharing initiative among Northern California hospitals with the common goal of coordinating care for frequent ER patients.
This means care providers can respond quickly, in real-time, to ensure patients receive top-quality, consistent care in the appropriate setting, according to Sutter Health.
The six hospitals involved are Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland and Berkeley, Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch and Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, Highland Hospital in Oakland and San Leandro Hospital in San Leandro.
“Nearly 40 percent of all ER visits in California can be classified as non-urgent and treatable in a primary care setting or avoidable with appropriate, timely care. These patients often rely on more than one hospital in a region and visit an ER up to three times per week to get basic care needs met,” said Sutter Health.
Delvecchio Finley, chief executive officer of Alameda Health System, added: “This historic partnership for care coordination within emergency services furthers our vision to promote wellness, eliminate disparities and optimize the health of our diverse communities.
“While too many barriers to optimal care remain in our communities, the initial gains through this initiative serve as evidence for the benefits to patient-centered care made possible by collaboration.”
Arthur Sorrell, physician informaticist and chair of the Sutter emergency department leadership council, said: “By implementing PreManage ED throughout our hospitals, we are leading a huge culture shift in how health care is delivered, putting the patient squarely at the center of care.
“This tool will help us break down organizational silos and share information seamlessly across health care providers. Collaborative partnerships like this are a major step forward to benefiting our emergency teams and shared patients.”
David English, associate chief medical information officer and Highland Hospital ED physician, added: “Patients are already experiencing the benefits of a coordinated approach to care.
“Continuity of care is critical to long-term wellness and chronic disease management. PreManage ED is a win-win - patients benefit from a more cohesive experience and providers can improve care based on shared knowledge which contributes to better outcomes.”
Keith Carson, District 5 supervisor, concluded: “We are proud to support this collaboration and to know that through innovative public/private partnerships such as this, we can make a positive impact on the future health and well-being of our communities.”
California, PreManage ED system, US, California, Hospitals, Emergency Room
