Centra announced this week that it has entered into a contract with Cerner, a global leader in health care technology, to implement a new electronic health record (EHR) system to support all of Centra’s medical facilities by the spring of 2018. After a thorough review of the industry’s leading EHR providers, Centra found that the Cerner Millennium® platform would offer the most sophisticated experience in managing clinical and financial processes, consolidating billing practices and facilitating patient health management across the entire health system.

An EHR is an electronic version of a patient’s medical history that is maintained over time by health care providers at multiple locations across a health system. It can include clinical data relevant to a patient’s care, including medical history, immunizations, laboratory data, radiology reports demographics, progress notes, medications and vital signs. The EHR automates access to information and has the potential to streamline the clinician›s workflow, identify opportunities to improve efficiencies, while enhancing both the patient and the user experience.

“These technologies will provide the platform we need to engage with individuals beyond the four walls of our hospitals,” said E.W. Tibbs Jr., president and CEO of Centra. “Our new EHR will dramatically fast forward our ability to care for the community and strengthen the relationship between patients and clinicians. Cerner is dedicated to helping us achieve the outcomes we strive for: quality, safety and continuity of care.”

This new tool will improve system connectivity among providers, connectivity with patients, timely access to information and data sharing across Centra’s continuum of care. With the new Cerner platform, doctors and staff within Centra will be able to access complete patient records, and patients themselves will be able to view their medical records online. The timeliness and availability of the data will enable providers to make better decisions and provide better care. 
“Cerner and Centra share a commitment to the delivery of innovative health care for those in need,” said Zane Burke, president of Cerner. “We are committed to Centra’s success and look forward to supporting the health system as it works to improve the health of its community and provide alternative care models.”