Sutter Health and Affiliated Palo Alto Medical Foundation Praised by U.S. Health and Human Services for IT Innovation

Sutter at Forefront of State-Of-The-Art Health Technology

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May. 23, 2005 – Leading the national drive to digitize medical records, Sutter-affiliated Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) and Sutter Health proudly shared their innovative IT programs with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike O. Leavitt.

Secretary Leavitt toured PAMF to see first-hand how doctors are using electronic health records (EHR) to improve patient care. He made the Foundation his first stop on a nationwide tour to promote the pivotal role health IT can play in transforming the nation's health care system.

"The visit from Secretary Leavitt validates our hard work and ongoing efforts to employ technology to help make health care safer, more accessible and more convenient for our patients," said Dr. David Druker, president and CEO of PAMF.

A leader in health IT, PAMF has been using electronic medical records since 1999, and now all patient records are maintained electronically throughout the organization. PAMF also has more than 43,000 people enrolled in its patient online tool, PAMFOnline, to help them communicate with doctors and manage their health care at home.

Sutter Health is at the forefront of the drive to digitize medical records. By implementing electronic health records (EHRs) throughout its system, Sutter will harness state-of-the-art health technology to ensure better, safer and more efficient health care for patients.

In April 2004, President Bush called for personal electronic health records for most Americans within 10 years and nationwide adoption of health Information Technology. Sutter Health has made a commitment to deploy an EHR networkwide, which should be completed years ahead of the national EHR deadline set by the White House and will electronically connect more than 5,000 physicians, 27 hospitals and millions of patients across our not-for-profit Northern California network.

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Contact
Kami Lloyd
Communications Coordinator, Internal and External Media
(916) 286-6680
LloydK@sutterhealth.org