Discover how an EHR solution can improve care quality.

1. Case Study
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare
Creates Electronic Health Record,
Improves Care Quality
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare In 2003, Wheaton Franciscan Without standardized clinical
Healthcare committed to a new processes and an integrated EHR –
is a Catholic, not-for-profit business model and strategies which makes patient information
organization with more than to optimize clinical outcomes, accessible to authorized caregivers
physician relations and financial anytime, anywhere – Wheaton
100 sites in Wisconsin, Iowa and performance. The health system would be unable to realize its
partnered with McKesson to clinical and financial goals.
Illinois. It offers a wide range implement a broad range of
of healthcare services including systems in nine hospitals and more “Our goal was to leverage
than 70 clinics across two states technology across our system to
world-class heart care, leading in three years. In combination improve the quality of patient care
with process and culture change, by giving clinicians access to critical
baby and mother care, and Wheaton has successfully information that is accurate, timely
nationally ranked orthopedic transformed its patient-care and actionable,” says John Oliverio,
delivery process. An integrated president and chief executive
services. Wheaton Franciscan- electronic health record (EHR) officer.
solution was the key enabler.
The Wisconsin Heart Hospital The organization has not only Objectives were developed to
Campus consistently ranks in the connected and standardized care standardize clinical processes with
but also improved productivity evidence-based best practice,
top 1% nationwide for inpatient and quality, enhanced revenue improve clinical quality and
and reduced costs. Over five years, patient safety, engage physicians,
and emergency department care. financial benefits are expected and maximize documentation
Wheaton Franciscan-St. Joseph to total more than $70 million. compliance. By identifying the
In fact, fifth-year performance benefits of each component of the
Campus is Magnet™-designated suggests a potential operations EHR and monitoring results, the
improvement of $22.2 million. organization could stay focused on
for excellence in nursing services its goals.
and recognized in the Thomson Challenges
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare “We needed to concentrate on
Reuters annual 100 Top U.S. is a Catholic, not-for-profit supporting caregivers because that’s
organization with more than our core business,” says Greg Smith,
Hospitals National Benchmarks chief information officer. “We
100 sites in Wisconsin, Iowa
study. Wheaton Franciscan and Illinois. The health system wanted to develop a systemwide
is dedicated to delivering approach where we could identify
Healthcare–Elmbrook Memorial quality care through advanced best practices and change clinical
technology, highly trained staff, practice and the associated policies
is the recipient of two and procedures. Finally, we needed
and superior and compassionate
HealthGrades 2009 Specialty service. to underpin it with technology to
make that new practice concrete.”
Excellence awards for the quality
of its general surgery and
joint-replacement surgery.

2. At a Glance Wheaton wrote the business strong executive physician support,
case for its EHR four years ago. but it was coupled with strong
Organization “Interconnectivity, sharing of involvement from practicing
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare information and patient safety physicians in the field.”
Wheaton, Ill. were essential to the strategic
plan,” says Nancy Weber, chief Enhancing Quality
– Health system with 16 hospitals nursing officer for the Iowa While some quantitative results
including All Saints, St. Francis, region. The initiative required take months or years to fully
Franklin, Elmbrook Memorial, massive change management from realize, quality measures were
Wheaton Franciscan-St. Joseph caregivers. Even sites that had realized almost instantaneously.
and The Wisconsin Heart Hospital pieces of technology already in With the deployment of McKesson’s
Campuses, Covenant Medical place were confronted with some document imaging solution,
Center, Mercy Hospital and level of change as new applications doctors gained anytime, anywhere
Sartori Memorial Hospital were implemented and old ones electronic access to view, complete
redesigned.” and sign off on patient charts.
– 3,500 physicians
– 70 clinics employing 600 Answers “Physicians also use that
physicians
For more than 15 years, Wheaton information for real-time decision
– 23,000 associates and McKesson have enjoyed a making,” explains Cardamone.
solid and trusting partnership. The
Solution Spotlight health system has been a McKesson Not only has physician satisfaction
beta partner and an early adopter been overwhelmingly positive but
– Horizon Admin-Rx™
of numerous products. When the also the solution’s tremendous
– Horizon Business Folder™ decision was made to implement an workflow automation has enabled
– Horizon Clinicals® integrated EHR, Wheaton turned to Wheaton to completely transform
the Horizon Clinicals® solution suite the staffing structure of its medical
– Horizon Emergency Care™
from McKesson. records departments.
– Horizon Expert Documentation™
– Horizon Expert Orders™ A staged implementation approach A vast improvement in the
was adopted. Two teams formed medication administration process
– Horizon Homecare™
to oversee the initiative: the came with the implementation
– Horizon Meds Manager™ governance team and the EHR of Horizon Admin-Rx™. Nurses
– Horizon Patient Folder™ operations team. Each included use the point-of-care system to
McKesson and Wheaton executives. electronically scan bar-coded
– Horizon Practice Plus™
Additionally, technical, education wristbands and medications at the
– HorizonWP® Physician Portal and communication teams bedside, helping to ensure “five-
supported the work of the various rights” checking before patients
application teams. A major key to receive medications. Additionally,
success was significant engagement route of administration is present
by physicians and clinical leadership on all doses, and discontinuation of
in the design, testing and adoption meds is easy to see with no manual
of the applications. input needed from nurses. Perhaps
most important, patients say they
“The physician engagement “feel safer.”
model was instrumental,” notes
Steve Cardamone, D.O., chief Patient safety was an overwhelming
medical officer. “We had very driver for deploying Wheaton’s

3. EHR. With McKesson’s pharmacy And in the emergency department, At a Glance
information solution, up-to-date Horizon Emergency Care™ enhances
patient allergy information is collaboration among the care team Organization
now shared across all facilities. while enabling a more efficient
Additionally, an enterprise workflow and patient management. Critical Issues
workflow process ensures that – Compliance with the use of
allergy information is consistently Finally, in Wheaton physician technology
collected and documented. offices, billing, scheduling and
workflow management improved – Patient safety, particularly
Patient safety also improved with with the implementation of Horizon medication and lab safety
the rollout of Horizon Expert Practice Plus™. Appointment – Clinician satisfaction
Orders™. The computerized reminders are now automated, and – Financial health
provider order entry (CPOE) solution enhancements have been made in
replaced paper orders and improved the appointment preregistration
access to patient data and decision- process and tracking of physician
support tools. The use of CPOE referrals. The patient itinerary Results
also helps to prevent potential provides staff with information on – Achieved 97% compliance in
medication errors by eliminating scheduled follow-up appointments. scanning medications prior to
illegible orders. The number of no-shows has administration
decreased. Co-pays are posted in
Standardizing Care real-time to use system-generated – Reduced medication errors by
receipts, improving collections at the 92% overall
Physicians can access CPOE and
other solutions through HorizonWP® point of service. – Decreased mislabeled blood
Physician Portal, a Web gateway specimens by 98%
that provides secure access to Results – Cut patient-identification errors
inpatient and outpatient data across McKesson technologies have by 20%
the health system. In addition to helped Wheaton to create a fully – Saved $310,000 due to the
vital patient information, clinicians integrated EHR and standardize decreased need to redo lab work
now have a comprehensive, dynamic care enterprisewide. Medication
view of what medications patients and patient safety have improved. – Captured $100,000 in previously
have taken, what they are taking Productivity, quality of care, missed revenues
and what they will take. communication and revenue have – Improved clinician satisfaction
also increased while costs have
With Horizon Expert decreased.
Documentation™, Wheaton nurses
review each patient’s status and “Each component of the solution
document information at the has held true to its commitments,”
point of care. The solution enables says Susan Boland, chief operating
clinicians across multiple disciplines officer, Wheaton Franciscan
to communicate, evaluate and Healthcare-All Saints. “And we’ve
coordinate the patient’s care and seen a clear reduction in expenses.”
progress. Nursing best practices
and guidelines are incorporated
into the system to standardize care
throughout the enterprise. The
application also enhances nursing
workflow by making it seamless to
record assessments and vital signs.

4. “With McKesson’s Results through July 2009: – Improved emergency department
performance through better
partnership, we’re proud – Reduced the number of documentation. One site saw a
to now have an integrated orderables through CPOE, 40% increase in revenue
dropping from 34,000 to 10,000,
EHR deployed throughout a 71% decrease
“A shared commitment to meeting
our system that enhances – Decreased full-time clerical staff the goals and collaboration
patient safety, facilitates the needed in medical records as a between McKesson and Wheaton
result of the document imaging Franciscan Healthcare ensured
exchange of information and solution, creating a 20% savings our success,” says Oliverio. “With
McKesson’s partnership, we’re
reduces overall costs.” – Decreased adverse drug events proud to now have an integrated
as a result of warnings and alerts EHR deployed throughout our
generated by the pharmacy system that enhances patient
John Oliverio information and medication safety, facilitates the exchange of
administration systems. Wheaton information and reduces overall
President and CEO now exceeds the 90th percentile costs. Our work will continue as
Wheaton Franciscan in avoiding adverse drug events. we further optimize this important
Horizon Admin-Rx™ also tool.”
Healthcare decreased IV waste by 10%
– Increased physician portal logins
by 100% since July 2006. Portal
usage also facilitated a reduction
in full-time radiology staff and
decreased film costs and storage
by more than $2 million
– Improved physician completion
of chart deficiencies by more
than 40% as a result of electronic
signature capability
– Record storage costs decreased by
94% at one site. Supply expenses
were reduced by $105,000
annually
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vice marks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. PRT404-07/09
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