Jefferson Regional Medical Center to Receive Medicare Payment for CMS Electronic Health Record Incentive Program

PINE BLUFF, Ark., May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Jefferson Regional Medical Center (JRMC), a 471-bed acute care hospital in Pine Bluff, Ark., announced today that it is one of the first hospitals in the nation to be notified it will receive government incentive funding for successfully demonstrating "meaningful use" of its Electronic Health Record (EHR).  The incentives were established by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) to reward hospitals and physicians who successfully demonstrate "meaningful use" of the technology in ways that improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of patient-centered care.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) notified JRMC May 18, through the EHR Incentive Attestation system, that it had achieved the first stage of the ARRA "meaningful use" requirements through use of its Sunrise Clinical Manager™ (SCM) Electronic Health Record from Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX).

"This milestone is a significant accomplishment for JRMC's clinicians and for our patients, who will benefit from the enhancements and changes in workflow and processes made during our journey of becoming meaningful users of an advanced electronic health record," said Patrick Neece, Chief Information Officer of JRMC. "We are extremely proud of this accomplishment, which is the result of a multiple-year strategy to aggressively implement and expand the use of SCM at JRMC."

JRMC expects to receive approximately $3 million in Stage 1 incentives, and estimates that it could be eligible for more than $8 million by achieving all three stages of meaningful use.

JRMC surpassed every one of the extensive set of criteria that eligible hospitals and physicians must achieve in order to receive the stage 1 funding. The criteria are designed not only to improve quality, safety, and efficiency but to reduce disparities in healthcare; engage patients in their own care; improve care coordination when patients move from one setting to another; improve population and public health; and ensure privacy and security protections for personal health information.

"Jefferson Regional Medical Center has demonstrated that it is one of the nation's leading healthcare institutions with regard to implementing and utilizing advanced health information technology," said Glen Tullman, Chief Executive Officer of Allscripts. "Our focus is working closely with our clients to achieve rapid implementation of affordable clinical information systems that physicians and other caregivers not only need to have, but want to use."

ABOUT JEFFERSON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Jefferson Regional Medical Center (JRMC) is a 471-bed acute care hospital and Level II Trauma Center in Pine Bluff, AR. It is a not-for-profit, private regional hospital, licensed by the Arkansas State Health Department and accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. From primary care to a full range of specialties, JRMC has brought together physicians from the nation's finest medical schools to care for the people of South Arkansas. For more information, see http://www.jrmc.org.

ABOUT ALLSCRIPTS

Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX) provides innovative solutions that empower all stakeholders across the healthcare continuum to deliver world-class outcomes. The company's Electronic Health Record, Computerized Physician Order Entry and other clinical, financial, connectivity and information solutions for hospitals, physicians and post-acute organizations are the essential technologies that enable a Connected Community of Health™. To learn more about Allscripts, please visit www.allscripts.com, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

SOURCE Jefferson Regional Medical Center