Paul Muneio and Dr. Sean Rae discuss how large paper files for patients would be converted to a proposed electronic health records system at ProMedica.

ProMedica Health System was one company from Northwest Ohio that submitted its own requests for federal stimulus funding through the State of Ohio Department of Development.

Governor Ted Strickland announced federal stimulus funding for 149 transportation projects across the state March 26. However, it does not affect more than 22,800 other projects submitted to the state for stimulus funding.

ProMedica submitted 25 proposals for projects ranging from $66,000 for a teen violence prevention program to $38 million for a complete acute care electronic health record system known as HER.

“This is our wish list,” said Janet Lyon, vice president of grants and research administration at ProMedica, who coordinated the submissions. “We are still waiting to hear deadline dates for applying for funding for the various projects.”

“Grants are about getting funds to meet the community’s needs. Our philosophy is to submit the best grant proposals and hope they understand we have huge needs in this region,” she said.

The projects are prioritized according to ProMedica’s corporate strategy, Lyon said.

The top five priorities involve the development of an acute care electronic health record system, a compatible physician electronic health record, and move toward a seamless electronic system for the entire region, according to Paul Muneio, vice president of future technology and information systems at ProMedica.

The electronic health record system would exchange clinical data with ProMedica’s physician electronic medical records and other national certified systems. It includes bar coding, medical administration, clinical documentation, computerized physician order entry, notes and decision support.

The project will be implemented in all eight ProMedica hospitals and other facilities beginning in April 2010 and ending in January 2012, Muneio said.

Another $2.5 million was requested to convert 200-plus physicians from manual paper-based system to a full electronic health record by the end of 2010. ProMedica seeks $1.2 million in additional funds for back-up hardware for primary disaster recovery and uninterruptible power supply for its three Lucas County hospitals.

A project to develop electronic medical records for surgical procedures would require another $5.2 million for equipment upgrades, computer hardware, software implementation and training.

ProMedica requested $6.75 million to establish a regional health information network exchange for its facilities serving 27 counties in Ohio and Michigan. This network would eventually be linked to the National Health Record Database.

The five infrastructure projects would create or retain about 75 jobs to operate and maintain the systems. Muneio said they plan to purchase a system from a single vendor who can provide all software required for them.

A $500,000 project would implement a Radio Frequency Identification program to identify and track equipment and patients as they move throughout the system. Muneio said it’s important to have an integrated system with multiple facilities.

“These projects will allow medical personnel to maximize their time while protecting patients with less chance for human error,” Muneio said.

ProMedica requested $6.3 million for demolition of vacant floors six through nine and the mechanical floor of the Toledo Hospital South Building. It is estimated that the demolition could result in a $421,500 reduction in energy costs, Lyon said.

Another $1.2 million was requested for renovation of the employee-patient parking garages used at Toledo Hospital and Children’s Hospital since the 1970s. Lyon said it was less costly to renovate the existing structures than to build new facilities.

“These projects will create many construction jobs in the community,” Lyon said.

ProMedica seeks $1.26 million for the $2 million expansion of the Goerhlich Center for Alzheimer patients on the Flower Hospital campus in Sylvania. The project would expand the facility from 48 to 60 beds and add six new staff positions to meet the increasing number of patients.

Another proposal requested $414,000 for the expansion of the midwife practice at Bay Park Community Hospital in Port Clinton. The clinic will provide one-stop access to meet the total health care needs of women.

Toledo Children’s Hospital is seeking $518,000 to develop an Autism Center for Clinical Excellence within the existing facility. It would provide early assessment, intervention and support services for autism spectrum disorder.

ProMedica requested $2.5 million to establish a dedicated training center for robotic surgery in NW Ohio. It would develop a credentialed curriculum and center for training physicians to use new robotic devices for surgery.

Another project requested $540,000 to establish a multi-disciplinary team to focus on quality improvement of core preventive measures through the Flower Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program.

ProMedica requested $360,000 for the Fields of Green program to purchase a mobile market vehicle to provide fresh produce and nutritional products from local farmers markets to low-income neighborhoods.

Other proposals included $630,000 for Northwest Ohio Sickle Cell Treatment Center, $369,000 for expansion of the Pediatric Psychiatric Unit, $297,000 for free mammography screening for women enrolled in Ohio’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, $280,000 to improve access to outpatient kidney dialysis and oncology services for children, $183,800 for the TCH Kids program at 8 hospitals and tertiary care center, and $127,000 for the Hospital to Home Diabetes Support program for at-risk pregnant women.

“The end game is providing the highest quality care to the right person at the right time,” Lyon said.

ProMedica requested $3.3 million for a Healthcare Workforce Development program to address the current shortage of medical personnel that includes ICU nurses, registered nurses and state-tested nurses’ aides.

PHS will work with WGTE, public schools and local universities to inform teachers, guidance counselors, parents and students about the many employment opportunities in the diverse healthcare workforce, Lyon said. It would include creating an interactive Website that would provide information to students considering medical occupations.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 27th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Health Care, Toledo Business Link.
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