Project Grant D255IHS0485

KO-KWEL WELLNESS CENTER EPIC IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT - PROJECT ABSTRACT PROJECT TITLE: IMPLEMENTATION OF EPIC; ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD SYSTEM TRIBAL MANAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM REQUEST: $150,000 - ONE YEAR PROJECT PERIOD THE WELLNESS DIVISION OF THE COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE LOCATED IN NORTH BEND, OREGON IS REQUESTING $150,000 IN FUNDS FROM THE TRIBAL MANAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. IF OUR APPLICATION IS AWARDED, THIS FUNDING WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD DATABASE, CALLED "EPIC." THIS IS AN ALLOWABLE REQUEST AS LISTED UNDER TMG PROJECT TYPE 4 - HEALTH MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PATIENTS AND CLIENTS OF BOTH KO-KWEL WELLNESS CENTER LOCATIONS IN EUGENE, OREGON AND COOS BAY, OREGON. BOTH THESE LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO INCREASE REVENUE THROUGH OPTIMIZING CERTAIN PROCESSES INCLUDING AN INCREASE IN VISITS AND PROVIDERS IN BOTH CLINIC LOCATIONS. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, CLINIC ADMINISTRATORS AND PROVIDERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS OVER THE CURRENT SOFTWARE. THE USE OF EPIC WILL PROVIDE AN EXTREMELY POSITIVE IMPACT TO DELIVERY OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE DUE TO ALIGNING OUR SYSTEMS WITH OTHER MEDICAL CLINICS LOCATED IN COOS COUNTY AND LANE COUNTY THAT ALSO USE EPIC, INCLUDING BAY AREA HOSPITAL, NORTH BEND MEDICAL CLINIC AND BAY CLINIC. THE USE OF ONE SYSTEM WILL INCREASE COORDINATION CAPABILITIES BETWEEN THE VARIOUS MEDICAL CLINICS. THIS WILL INCREASE COLLABORATION AND INTERCONNECTEDNESS BETWEEN FACILITIES AND ALIGN OUR EFFORTS TO MEET PATIENT DEMANDS AND HEALTH CARE NEEDS. EPIC WILL PROVIDE VARIOUS COST SAVING MEASURES FOR THE COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE DUE TO STREAMLINING THE BILLING AND CODING PROCESS. WE WILL HAVE FEWER DATA AND REPORTING ISSUES WHICH CREATES A MUCH EASIER APPROACH TO REPORTING AND DATA SHARING. OUR CURRENT REPORTING SYSTEM DOES NOT ALLOW FOR AUTOMATION, WHICH REQUIRES US TO COMPLETE MANUAL CHART AUDITS, WHICH CREATES LOST PRODUCTIVITY. THIS LOSS OF TIME AND EFFORT COULD BE USED FOR DIRECT PATIENT CARE AND OVERALL WORKFLOW EFFICIENCIES. THE COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE WAS RESTORED AS A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE IN 1989 AFTER HAVING BEEN TERMINATED IN THE 1950'S. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 1,185 ENROLLED COQUILLE TRIBAL MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. THE TRIBE'S FIVE-COUNTY SERVICE AREA CONSTITUTES A LAND MASS OF OVER 15,603 SQUARE MILES AND INCLUDES COOS, CURRY, DOUGLAS, JACKSON, AND LANE COUNTIES. 572 ENROLLED TRIBAL MEMBERS LIVE INSIDE THIS FIVE-COUNTY SERVICE AREA.