The Military Health System's massive EHR modernization project has a new name – MHS Genesis – and will begin in earnest at the end of this year, U.S. Department of Defense officials said.
"The meaning of 'genesis' is the origin or process of origin," according to the department, which explained that MHS Genesis represents "the initial stage of the developmental process of building and implementing an electronic health record by organizing the critical medical and business administrative data needed to provide quality and safe medical care."
The project, which MHS is pursuing in partnership with Cerner, Leidos and Accenture, "is replacing a system that has been challenged to keep up with technological and operational advances," according to DoD.
It's a "new beginning," enabling a process for "providing greater population health data, tracking, and alerting capabilities, enabling healthcare professional to more easily monitor beneficiaries' health status and encourage healthy behaviors."
The DoD wants people to recognize MHS Genesis as “a safe, secure accessible record for patients and healthcare professionals that is easily transferred to external providers, including major medical systems and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics,” William M. Roberts, the retired Navy rear admiral who serves as the MHS functional champion.
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"When our beneficiaries see this logo or hear the name, they'll know their records will be seamlessly and efficiently shared with their chosen care provider," he said.
The department will begin implementating the new EHR in the Pacific Northwest late this year, followed by multi-year process of installation around the world. Officials said MHS Genesis will be available and accessible throughout all Department of Defense facilities in the U.S. and abroad, whether in hospitals, clinics or ships at sea.
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Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com