OCTC grant will train OMHS staff on electronic medical records

Owensboro Community and Technical College will help train hospital employees on new medical record software.

A $500,000 grant will pay for the partnership and help implement the new technology.

"This is the largest Kentucky Wins award in the Community Technical College System," says OCTC President Dr. Jim Klauber.

Owensboro Medical Health System has invested $55 million to help keep patient's records up to date. They now a new partnership as well.

"With that said, we have an agreement to sign."

State Representative Jim Glenn says OMHS employees will train to use the new Epic software at OCTC.

"Implementation is the most important thing of any technology we have."

So far, nine OMHS clinics actively use the new database. Employees have converted these files into a real time electronic database called Epic.

OMHS CEO Dr. Jeff Barber says patient history will benefit from this transition.

"It gives us a real comprehensive opportunity to look at that patient's history and treat them appropriately in a faster manner and more safer manner."

If patients visit a different clinic, files can be accessed by internet instead of fax machine, and the records are more accurate and have the latest medical history.

Over 3,000 employees will train, and the grant money will pay for the time spent to learn it all over the next eight months.

The whole hospital will implement the new system by December 1st.