Now a member of Stanly Regional’s medical staff is ready to share with the rest of the nation’s healthcare community how health information technology can help improve patient care. Dr. Joseph Hunter of Albemarle Medical Services, was recently one of 82 healthcare providers from across the country whose progress in health IT was recognized by the White House and Health and Human Services (HHS) in Washington, D.C.

The HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) recently hosted a Health IT Vanguard Conference in which a variety of health care professionals shared lessons learned in adopting and implementing electronic health records. As designated Beacon Community representatives, Hunter, Brad Marino,Vice President of Physician Network and Surgical Services at Stanly Regional Medical Center and others of the Meaningful Use Vanguard (MUVers) and health IT leaders discussed solutions for a variety of health IT barriers, including privacy and security and the challenges of building systems that can “talk to each other.” The group also discussed ways of using health IT to promote better health in communities. Health IT leaders throughout the country have been recognized for their leadership in local efforts that will eventually move the nation toward an electronically enabled health care system. Continue reading →