Stories from the Front Lines: The Journey to Meaningful Use

A Case Study in Making an EHR Work: Dr. Matt White

Dr. Matt White, MD, a family practitioner in Lakewood, WA has been a trailblazer in the area of electronic health records, first beginning his transition back in 1988 and says he has been “fully paperless since 2001.” He mainly uses McKesson’s Practice Partner. The EHR at his practice includes a secure web portal that allows his patients to access their medical records, as well as e-prescribing capabilities.

When asked what he thought was the single greatest benefit toward making the transition to an EHR, Dr. White responded, “EHRs have given me more efficient access to the information I need for decision-making.” He also said that implementing an EHR has allowed him to run a more cost-effective, leaner practice, cutting down on overhead costs. “No way would I ever go back to paper charts.”

Dr. White claimed that, in spite of its efficiency and what a boon it’s been to his practice, his EHR transition had “normal ups and downs” which mostly revolved around inevitable workflow process changes and getting the staff on board with new ways of doing things. Staff and patients alike have overall been supportive of the change, which has made information more easily available to both. “The EHR allows me to keep careful track of patients and diagnoses. It’s like having a chronic disease registry.”

For those just starting out with their transition, Dr. White says, “You must have a clinical champion who’s empowered. You must have reasonable expectations and know that changes in process and workflow are necessary and inevitable. You should be willing to invest in the system and expect growing pains.”

There’s help out there for those facing the sometimes challenging array of choices in making the transition. Even though his transition is complete, Dr. White is grateful for the support and feedback his WIREC consultant has given him. “The practice is on track to receive CMS incentives.”