Southeast Michigan Beacon Community Recruits 46 Primary Care Practices to Participate in Local Efforts

DETROIT, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Southeast Michigan Beacon Community (SEMBC) today announced that it has recruited its baseline level of 46 primary care practices to participate in its campaign to promote clinical transformation through practice-level adoption and use of Health Information Technology (HIT) and Exchange (HIE). SEMBC efforts are focused on the treatment of diabetic patients in the cities of Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Dearborn, and Dearborn Heights.

SEMBC is one of seventeen Beacon Communities established in the United States by the Office of the National Coordinator for Healthcare for the purpose of using health information technology tools to link health providers and develop innovative, scalable strategies and interventions that improve the quality of care and help slow the growth of rising health care costs.

"This is a huge milestone," said Terrisca Des Jardins, Program Director of the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community. "By securing the participation of these physicians and their practices, we have a core group of active, engaged caregivers who are ready to transform their practices, and elevate the level of care that they deliver to patients. Although we have achieved our baseline level, we are going to continue our practice outreach efforts."

Dr. Margaret Meyers, a Family Medicine doctor at the Mercy Primary Care Center in Detroit said, "This is an opportunity for providers that have been seeking better ways to use technology to help in the care of their patients.  Our participation in the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community helps further our vision of being a proactive partner in the delivery of comprehensive, patient-centered, cost-efficient, quality care for uninsured adults in Detroit."

The 46 participating practices include 22 Federally Qualified Health Centers, and 24 independent practices. Through their involvement, physicians and their practices will have direct access to tools, information, and resources that will serve as an engine to promote clinical transformation and overall improvement in the value of the care they deliver to patients.  Practice participation in the Beacon program is free.

"This is really the first step in helping drive real change in the healthcare delivery system," said Des Jardins.   "Now we can start working with these practices to augment their current clinical processes to deliver more efficient, effective patient care."

About the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community (SEMBC)
The Southeast Michigan Beacon Community (SEMBC) is one of 17 Beacon Communities established in the United States by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology.  It is the goal of the SEMBC to help demonstrate the vision of a future where hospitals, clinicians, and patients are meaningful users of health IT, and together as a community, achieve measureable improvements in health care quality, safety, efficiency, and population health. For more information, contact Scott Turske at (313) 285-8081 x325.

Contact:  
Scott Turske
Southeast Michigan Beacon Community
Phone: 313.285.8081 x325
Mobile: 248.892.3241
[email protected]

SOURCE Southeast Michigan Beacon Community