Introducing hCare, HCA’s Electronic Health Record

14th Apr, 2010

We've no doubt made great headway into the Information Age, but the Digital Revolution is far from complete. Witness the shockingly low number of hospitals nationwide that are using electronic records.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine a year ago this week found that only 1.5 percent of U.S. hospitals have an electronic health record (EHR) system present in all clinical units, and an additional 7.6 percent have a basic system present in at least one clinical unit. Moreover, computerized provider-order entry for medications has been implemented in only 17 percent of hospitals.

We're proud to say that HCA-affiliate hospitals are included in each of those statistics, but we're not resting on those relatively meager laurels — we're not going to be satisfied until we have implemented a comprehensive EHR at all of our more than 280 affiliate facilities across the country.

Under the guidance of Dr. Richard Tayrien, who was recently appointed HCA's first Chief Health Information Officer, we're rolling out hCare, HCA's electronic health record. hCare has been in the planning stages since 2006, and now it's picking up momentum as we move closer to the implementation stage.

To help us move forward, we're looking for healthcare IT professionals and clinical informaticists who are excited by the scope of hCare, which will be nation's largest EHR rollout. In addition to its scope, hCare will be one of the most significant changes in the way we currently deliver care. So we're also looking for innovators who can envision the future of healthcare and help transform that vision into a reality.

We've recently launched hcare.acareerathca.com, a microsite dedicated to hCare. It features articles about the EHR rollout, as well as an FAQ (do you know the difference between an EMR and an EHR?) and some videos about hCare. It's also where you can always stay up to date with available EHR jobs with hCare.