Beyond Traditional Healthcare: Creating Personally Connected Health

Kate Stenehjem, Information Specialist II

I found a lump. Palpable. Hard. Impossible to ignore. My gut told me to get it checked out right away. I didn’t even have to make an appointment because I was five months pregnant and scheduled to see my obstetrician the next week. On the day of my appointment I was sent to a nearby hospital for an ultrasound which quickly led to a biopsy. Due to the pregnancy, the tissue sample was difficult to diagnose so I was sent to another hospital. Once there, I had a mammogram and they repeated the ultrasound and the biopsy. Days felt like years waiting for the results. When the call finally came, they told me they were still uncertain about the pathology and needed to put me on a fast track for surgery.

I received high quality clinical care at all three facilities during this time. However, I couldn’t help but feel there was one crucial piece missing. Me. While making multiple phone calls each day to try to understand what was going on and physically transferring information back and forth between facilities across the state, all I really wanted was to be involved in my own care. Unfortunately, accessing my health information at this time proved to be incredibly difficult. This was a nightmare that I had to deal with for approximately two months but it left me wondering, “How do people with chronic health conditions deal with this lack of personal involvement in their own health care every day of their life?”

At the personal level, consumer engagement means being involved in your own health and health care which includes decisions about treatment. Engaged patients are powerful partners in their own health and health care. This involvement can lead to advocating for higher-value health care that is also more efficient and effective.

Studies indicate that engaged patients are more compliant which can ultimately lead to better outcomes. Therefore, patient engagement is a crucial part of the meaningful use of electronic health records. The Office of the National Coordinator for HIT (ONC) has outlined the following goals for consumer engagement:

• Providing consumers with access to their health data
• Making it easier for consumers to use their health information
• Shifting attitudes about ownership of health data so physicians will be more willing to share data with patients and other health care providers

Stage 1 of meaningful use begins to set up a path that will result in consumer engagement with the requirement of providing clinical summaries for 50% of all office visits within three business days. The summary can be provided to the patient in either paper or electronic format. Phil Deering, REACH regional coordinator, noted, “The summary is the information that patients need to begin to take care of themselves, and it also provides a tool for the provider to review the information with the patient.”

“As we gather data, we can do health care by numbers, but it might not lower cost or make people healthier. Your health affects your whole life and quality of life. We now have the ability to look at patients as complete beings and not as just sets of numbers," noted Deering. “However, with today’s technology, patient access can flexible and bi-directional because we have the ability to expand the office visit through time. This is great, because now informed patients can begin to play a role as a partner in care, who can help make sure the record is accurate and up-to-date.”

We know that the after visit summary requirement of Stage 1 Meaningful Use is only a start on the journey consumers and providers need to travel. Changing provider and patient behavior is hard and will take time and effort. The good news is that as meaningful use results in patients getting better information, fewer people will feel as lost and desperate as I did during that difficult time a few years ago.

Minnesota Brought It All Together!

Sally Trnka, Senior Program Coordinator

On Monday and Tuesday this week, over 475 rural health care leaders came together in beautiful, and recovering, Duluth, Minnesota to discuss a host of issues facing rural health care.  The energy at the Conference was electric; with old and new friends sharing in each other’s successes, exchanging best practices, networking and learning about what is coming down the pike. 

From the perspective of a Duluth resident, the event was perfectly timed.  As the city dries out and rebuilds, it was wonderful to have so many fellow Minnesota residents filling the hotels, restaurants and shops in our beautiful city.  The support that our staff received from all participants was overwhelming, and we thank all of those who attended the event. 

From the perspective of a conference planner, the event was perfect—record breaking numbers, a full hall of exhibitors whose companies work every day to support rural facilities, exceptional speakers and panelists, and happy participants.  While the event was a success, we received excellent feedback from participants and look forward to making the 2013 Conference (occurring June 24-25, 2013 in Duluth) the best one ever!

From the perspective of a health care consumer and rural health care advocate, the event was inspirational.  I was amazed by the innovative work that is happening in Minnesota.  Session topics spanned the gamut from providing hospice and palliative care to rural Veterans, to Stage 2 of meaningful use (MU), to CEO and CFO roundtables, to highlighting the exciting work happening with the Beacon Program in southeast Minnesota. 

Awards were presented to both an outstanding Rural Health Hero and Rural Health Team for the impactful work that they do, that will long serve as a legacy for the countless hours of hard work they have put into rural Minnesota and its healthcare.  Minnesota truly is a leader in health care innovation, and I left the Conference reinvigorated and infused with passion to take on what lies ahead.  Thank you to my colleagues, all of whom I so deeply admire, for sharing your stories and energy with all of us!