Brooke County Health Department
The Brooke County Health Department is very excited to be the first health department in West Virginia to implement HEALTHeWV. Although other agencies such as hospitals have used electronic medical record reporting for many years, small clinics like health departments simply do not have the funds or resources to accomplish this. HEALTHeWV has changed this situation by providing small non-profits with not only the ability to participate in electronic record keeping but also with a comprehensive disease management program for the medically disadvantaged clients it serves. When I was first contacted by the National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC) at Wheeling Jesuit University about being a pilot site for HEALTHeWV among health departments, I wanted this agency to participate. As the director, I am always looking for ways to manage our operations in the most efficient way possible but had my doubts about whether or not my staff could make the transition. Some staff members were not comfortable using a computer at all and conducting a patient visit using technology seemed incomprehensible to them. However, the HEALTHeWV team worked one on one with the staff and slowly and carefully guided them through the process. Staff began to see the program as doable and also saw the positive outcomes; such as better patient management, improved documentation, and more time to spend with clients.
– Karen McClain, Administrator
Brooke County Health Department
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