NEW YORK, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Dimension Data, a $4.5 billion IT services and solutions provider, today announced the implementation, support and integration of InterMed, P.A.'s electronic medical record (EMR) system. For InterMed, a primary and specialty care medical group serving 65,000 patients in southern Maine, the use of EMRs provides improved efficiency -- with patient information, including allergies and medical history, readily available electronically -- as well as enhanced quality of care. In addition, InterMed physicians report that the EMR system has improved accuracy in records, enabled doctors to spend more time with patients and less with documentation, and contributed to a simpler, more accessible consumer healthcare experience.
"The EMR system and the new communication capabilities have given healthcare personnel in the office or working remotely instant access to all patient documentation, to include office notes, lab, imaging and administrative information they might need," said Dr. Dan Loiselle, Internal Medicine, InterMed. "With real-time access to patient appointment information across the entire practice, any cancellations can quickly be replaced, saving the practice both time and money."
To support InterMed's new EMR and practice management system -- which ties together all data on patient visits, billing, staffing, reimbursements and other documentation -- Dimension Data assessed network requirements, selected necessary hardware and software, designed and installed the network, and handled integration. For a successful EMR implementation, it was particularly important that InterMed's data be filtered, accessed and modified quickly, bringing relevant information to medical personnel's computer screens within seconds to ensure usability. By employing high-end load balancers, Dimension Data was able to maximize reliability and throughput, while minimizing time spent receiving and processing information.
"These new technologies have fundamentally changed the way we deliver care to patients," said Dan McCormack, CEO, InterMed. "As our IT needs evolved, Dimension Data has provided valuable assistance and expertise. As a result, doctors and staff have been impressed by the ease-of-use and efficiencies of our new system, and patients are blown away by the support we are now able to provide."
In addition, Dimension Data worked to support InterMed -- and ensure a smooth transition -- as the medical group consolidated four of its dispersed offices into a single location. Dimension Data brought InterMed's collocated network in-house, designed and set up a local area network (LAN) and IP telephony (IPT) infrastructure, and integrated systems for wireless and data storage. The work enabled InterMed to make its final move over three successive weekends, with a seamless reopening in the new office and no downtime incurred.
InterMed also worked with Dimension Data to implement a contact center solution, with Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise (UCCE) and 500 IP-based soft phones. Having a dedicated contact center staff enables InterMed's clinical assistants to focus on patient care, rather than the phone tag that consumed valuable time in the past.
"The impact on clinical effectiveness is striking," McCormack continued. "The comprehensive effect of all of these changes we've made with Dimension Data has made us a more streamlined, efficient and sought-after institution."
Dimension Data also provided Uptime Powered by Cisco Services, a comprehensive support solution that includes defined service level agreements to maximize network uptime and ensure rapid restoration from any outage, access to Dimension Data's Global Service Center, access to Cisco's Technical Assistance Center and a dedicated service delivery manager from Dimension Data who serves as a single point of contact.
"As more organizations look to digitize healthcare, spurred on by the federal government and its economic stimulus package, they should look to InterMed as an example of a successful implementation," said Wes Johnston, chief operating officer, Dimension Data Americas. "Through its EMR system, state-of-the-art infrastructure and new contact center solution, InterMed can support future growth and provide a first-class patient experience. Dimension Data looks forward to continuing its work with InterMed and other healthcare organizations, helping them apply technology to advance patient care, reduce costs and increase overall efficiencies."