WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The nearly 500 physician members of Vista Health System, LLC, in New Jersey now have access to quality, comprehensive, and cost-effective information technology (IT) services through a partnership with PriorityOne, a complete IT services firm with extensive experience in healthcare.
PriorityOne (http://www.priority1consulting.com) will provide a wide array of services, including assessments to determine a practice's need for new or improved technologies; implementation of electronic medical records (EMR) systems; and 24-7 technical support.
Fatima Elias, Director of Financial Services for Vista, said most physicians in solo or small-group practices do not have access to skilled IT personnel with the ability and resources to offer comprehensive and continuous services. The agreement with PriorityOne will give those practices access to such expertise at an affordable rate.
"Physicians face special challenges as they strive to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their practices and also keep up with the demands of healthcare reform," said Ms. Elias. "We were drawn to Priority One because of their healthcare focus and their experience in the healthcare IT environment."
Nelson Gomes, president of PriorityOne, said the overwhelming majority of the firm's clients are involved in healthcare.
"Partnering with Vista was a natural fit because of our experience in working with healthcare organizations of all sizes, and, in particular, serving small to medium-sized practices to maximize their IT investment," Mr. Gomes said. "Our goal with each client is to be a full partner, handling everything from routine maintenance and upgrades to proactive monitoring and long-term strategic planning, so that our clients can concentrate on their true mission."
Vista, based in Summit, is an Independent Practice Association (IPA) established in 1994 with a current membership of 480 physicians representing 160 offices. The members include 200 primary care physicians and 280 specialty physicians with practices in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, Union and Warren counties.
Ms. Elias said she hopes that the PriorityOne partnership will help drive an increase in the number of member practices that implement EMR systems, which will improve patient care and efficiency within practices. Many smaller practices have not implemented these systems in the past because of the cost and the lack of access to skilled IT professionals.
About PriorityOne Consulting
PriorityOne, established in 1997, implements and manages IT systems for clients ranging from the smallest startup enterprises to international and Fortune 500 companies. The majority of those clients have been involved in healthcare, primarily smaller and moderately sized medical practices and surgical centers. PriorityOne provides a comprehensive service, customized to the needs of each client, from initial concept, through implementation, and then on to day-to-day management of the client's entire IT environment.
SOURCE PriorityOne