Web-Based Solution Increases Efficiency, Improves Quality of Care, Reduces Costs; Hospital Cites Ability to Link Patients with Community Doctors and Ongoing Care
BROOKFIELD, Wis., June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MyHealthDIRECT announced today that its flagship healthcare connection solution has been selected for installation at Nashville General Hospital at Meharry, Nashville's leading city-owned medical center and part of the Metropolitan Nashville Hospital Authority (MNHA). Nashville General, a leader in the innovative use of healthcare information technology, intends to use MyHealthDIRECT to connect patients to appropriate healthcare providers both inside and outside the MNHA system.
Nashville General, serving the citizens of Davidson County since 1890, is renowned for its medical staff that includes physicians from Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University. Its emphasis on advanced healthcare IT includes systems that allow clinicians and staff members to securely share medical data and patient records electronically throughout the organization. MyHealthDIRECT, a proprietary Web-based software application that connects patients to healthcare providers at the most appropriate level of care in real time, will interface with the hospital's systems to search and organize available healthcare appointments.
"We are excited about the enhancements to the quality and appropriateness of care that this solution will allow us to pass on to our patients," said Jason Boyd, interim CEO of Metropolitan Nashville Hospital Authority. "MyHealthDIRECT addresses a serious problem that many hospitals across Tennessee and the US face, which is inappropriate utilization of medical services and access to medical home-based models."
By installing MyHealthDIRECT, Nashville General anticipates several advances in quality of care, cost reduction and more effective resource utilization:
- A reduction in the use of Emergency Department services for non-emergency visits
- The ability to connect community residents to resources like Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community centers or other appropriate levels of care
- The ability to connect AmeriGroup members with network providers and resources
- An increase in referrals back from FQHCs and community centers for hospital specialists
- Ability to educate our patient base on appropriate use of various levels of care
"Nashville General Hospital at Meharry has placed itself at the forefront of the use of technology to solve some of the most difficult challenges facing large metropolitan medical centers today. We're thrilled that it has chosen MyHealthDIRECT to be a leading component of that strategy," said Jay Mason, president and founder of MyHealthDIRECT. "Using our solution, Nashville General will not only increase quality of care for its patients, but also move toward more effective cost containment through greater operational efficiency, by moving follow-up care away from the Emergency Department and into the community, and by connecting more patients into a PCP/Medical Home relationship."
MyHealthDIRECT helps healthcare organizations increase access to care, facilitating care management and improving quality measures. As a Web-based solution, MyHealthDIRECT is easy to implement; healthcare organizations can quickly use MyHealthDIRECT to scan and query over 95% of the most popular, commercially available practice management systems to find open and available healthcare appointments in the community.
For more information, visit www.myhealthdirect.com.
About MyHealthDIRECT
MyHealthDIRECT is a national health services solutions company that connects hospitals, care management organizations, public agencies and community collaboratives for the purpose of scheduling and booking timely and appropriate healthcare appointments on behalf of individuals. Founded in 2006, MyHealthDIRECT offers a web-based solution that organizes open and available healthcare appointments in the community into a searchable and schedulable inventory of healthcare services. The MyHealthDIRECT solution promotes continuity of care, reduces unnecessary cost and utilization and ensures that patients are matched with appointments that best fit their needs and preferences. For more information on MyHealthDIRECT please visit www.myhealthdirect.com.
SOURCE MyHealthDIRECT