IT Project Connects Rural Louisiana Hospitals

Topics	Hospitals and clinics Technology
States served	Louisiana
Description	LARHIX’s system provides access to patient records electronically so they are easily available from any site in the event of another disaster, Welch said. Rural primary care physicians are able to consult and share patient records with LSUHSC-S specialists. LSUHSC-S physicians can also examine and treat patients from their Shreveport offices, using telemedicine technology. The LARHIX five-year plan includes adding pharmaceutical records, laboratory histories and other patient information to the exchange.
Services offered	The integrated system will allow health care professionals to access patient data from multiple hospitals at any time and from anywhere within the system. Welch says the completed system will have several benefits: rural patients will receive specialized health care in their own communities, travel time for both patients and physicians will be reduced, chronic disease will be better managed through streamlined information sharing, the state will realize savings due to reduced duplication of services and future catastrophic situations will be better managed because of the common information accessibility.
Results	To date, all 24 hospitals have been equipped with the telemedicine equipment and a web site has been created for initial document and information sharing. The rural hospitals’ systems will have some unique characteristics meeting their specific needs, yet all systems will share commonalities that ensure seamless interaction throughout the state. Integrated software will be identical for all users.
Replication	Welch said the coalition also plans to add infrastructure to expand treatment for chronic diseases such as cancer, improve stroke treatment in rural areas, implement preventive care strategies, and expand the teaching or referral sites to include other major tertiary sites in addition to LSU. LARHIX “is like a dream come true,” Welch concluded.
Source	Rural Monitor Newsletter, Fall 2008
Contact person	Jamie Welch, LRHC Chief Information Officer phone: 225.389.9429 email: jwelch@larhc.org

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