Projects

1. Developing a comprehensive medication history. If a patient gives consent, physicians and other clinicians in a hospital are able to electronically access a list of all the medications a patient is taking. The service was piloted in the emergency departments the Rutland Regional Medical Center and the Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury. Eventually it will be expanded to all 15 emergency departments in the state.
2. Implementing a chronic care information system. Physicians participating in the Vermont Blueprint for Health will have access to disease management software and data on their patients with diabetes, which will help improve treatments. This is being developed in conjunction with the Vermont Department of Health, GE Healthcare, and other vendors.
3. Creating a statewide health information exchange. The exchange will connect providers, payers, and patients, while keeping all data private and secure. Allowing data to be easily exchanged will reduce duplicate diagnostic procedures, improve quality, reduce errors, and lower costs.
4. Updating the state health information technology plan. The plan for establishing a statewide, integrated electronic health information infrastructure in Vermont was unanimously approved by the VITL Board of Directors on July 11, 2007. The plan is located in the Policy section. Work is underway to update the plan by the end of 2008.
5. Assisting independent primary care physicians with EHR adoption and implementation. The EHR Pilot Project has been underway since the fall of 2007, and is providing grants to five independent primary care practices with a total of 18 provider FTEs.