TrueCare is First Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in San Diego County to Launch OCHIN Epic Electronic Health Record (EHR) System

SAN MARCOS, Calif., Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TrueCare, a nonprofit health care provider for the underserved in North San Diego and South Riverside Counties, has launched its OCHIN Epic Electronic Health and Dental Record (EHR/EDR) system to securely share digital information with its more than 65,000 patients and other clinicians.  

TrueCare, formerly known as North County Health Services, is the first federally-qualified health center (FQHC) in San Diego County to incorporate this comprehensive EHR technology system into its 12 health centers.  Its partnership with OCHIN, a national nonprofit health information technology organization based in Portland, Oregon, provides the most advanced information technology to its underserved patient population.

"Our OCHIN Epic EHR system will allow our clinicians and staff to focus on delivering excellent care to the region's most vulnerable patients," according to Michelle Gonzalez, TrueCare's President and CEO.  "This electronic system will improve the overall patient experience and care coordination, which has long been our goal."

OCHIN Epic is a single, fully-integrated platform offering many benefits including helping doctors diagnose patients better and reduce medical errors, resulting in safer care. In addition, the new system will improve patient and doctor communication and make it easier to prescribe medications.

Michelle Gonzalez, who assumed the role of President and CEO in April— just as COVID-19 began invading in earnest -- added, "Our patients, many who come from lower-income, ethnically diverse backgrounds, deserve the best healthcare solutions as health information technology continues to evolve."

"Our OCHIN EHR system is TrueCare's commitment to ensuring access to quality healthcare and for improving the health of our local underserved communities," said Dr. Marie Russell, TrueCare's Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer (CMO/COO).

As a primary health care provider in North San Diego and Perris, TrueCare often refers its patients to other specialties, hospitals and medical centers such as Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego, Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, and others.

"Because these healthcare organizations also use an EHR system, TrueCare can now interoperate with them more effectively," says Chief Innovation Officer Tracy Elmer, overseeing the technology aspects of the TrueCare-OCHIN collaboration. Elmer has worked in clinical information systems for 14 years and teaches health care informatics at Loma Linda University.

Although delighted with TrueCare's EHR system launch, she admits to some formidable challenges earlier this year.

"Given all of the challenges we have faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is exceptionally meanfingul to go live with this transformational initiative now, given what we have tackled in the last seven months," added Elmer. "It's been a wonderful experience to see the partnership between the TrueCare and OCHIN teams come together through the power of our core values, teamwork and collaboration."

For more information, visit https://truecare.org/

About TrueCare
TrueCare provides an affordable, comprehensive and culturally sensitive healthcare experience to more than 65,000 patients a year, many of whom are underinsured, or have no medical insurance. For nearly 50 years, TrueCare has served North San Diego and Riverside Counties with services ranging from primary care, pediatrics, women's health, behavioral health, chiropractic and dentistry.  In addition, TrueCare offers transportation services, community health outreach, insurance enrollment assistance, and case management programs.

In 2019, TrueCare conducted 324,044 patient visits, and was named  "Health Center Quality Leader" from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), ranked in the top 20 percent of health centers nationally for Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs); and honored with numerous Quality of Service awards by Health & Human Services (HHS); 2018 Non-Profit of the Year by the Perris Valley Chamber of Commerce; and Impact Business of the Year for 2019, by the North San Diego Business Chamber.

About OCHIN
OCHIN is a driving force for health equity. A national nonprofit health IT organization with two decades of experience transforming health care delivery, OCHIN provides leading-edge technology, data analytics, research, and support services to more than 500 community health care organizations serving nearly 6 million patients. We partner, learn, innovate, and advocate to close gaps in health care that are systemic, avoidable, and unjust, so everyone has a fair opportunity to achieve their full health potential. Learn more at www.ochin.org.

Contact:
Michele Baker
8584509872
[email protected]

SOURCE TrueCare