An electronic health record system used at Holston Medical Group in Kingston, Tenn., has aided clinical research trials, which in turn has offset for the entire cost of the system and its operation, Health Management Technology reports.
The medical group since 1996 has used the EHR system to help recruit and enroll thousands of patients in more than 250 clinical trials, according to Health Management Technology.
Three main capabilities of the EHR system have contributed to streamlining and improving research trials:
- Speed: Trial candidates automatically can be identified via computer analysis;
- Accuracy: Database searches can reduce "screen failure" rates through an automatic assessment of a candidate's eligibility for a trial; and
- Interoperability: Physicians at Holston Medical Group's 26 clinics are notified when patients have enrolled in clinical trials, which can result in reduced protocol violation rates and faster reporting of adverse events.
Holston's EHR database generated $1.9 million in revenue in 2004 and almost $2.4 million in revenue in 2005. Holston currently has 600 patients actively enrolled in 52 clinical trials (Miller,
Health Management Technology, December 2006).