The Transformation of Care Delivery

The importance of these features cannot be overemphasized. Whereas in the past people were cared for by one "all-knowing" doctor, in the future as clinicians integrate new technologies into their management of wellness, illness and complicated aging, the clinician seen as operating alone and whose dependence on solitary resources and perspective may put the patient at risk. A driving force behind healthcare practitioner’s transition from being soloists to members of a team is the complexity of modern healthcare which is evolving at a high rate.

Team-Based Care

A report prepared by the Institute of Medicine, stated "that in practice, shared responsibility without high-quality teamwork can be fraught with peril. For example, "handoffs" in which one clinician gives over to another the primary responsibility for care of a hospitalized patient, are associated with both avoidable adverse events and "near misses" due in part to inadequacy of communication among clinicians."

Intersect's care coordination features are designed to facilitate team-based care. The steps to create and administer a formal Care Team are straight forward. Once the team is established, the EHR's secure internal messaging system enables the communication necessary to assure coordinated care.

Shared Treatment Goals

Once established, the team - including the patient and where appropriate, family members or other support persons - can work to establish shared goals that reflect patient and family priorities, and that can be clearly articulated, understood, and supported by all team members. Those goals, when incorporated into a Care Management plan, in combination with clear lines of communication provide the basis for successful and effective care.

Affordable for Resource-Constrained Organizations

These features, previously available to only the most affluent healthcare systems are now affordable for organizations of all sizes with The Intersect EHR.