With increasing demands on hospitals to improve efficiency and eliminate redundancy, the use of information technology systems is becoming essential to hospital operations. Long Beach Medical Center has made drastic strides in the past few years to implement these technologies across its continuum.  

 “Where we are now compared to just three years ago is remarkable,” said Cheryl Chapman, Assistant Administrator, who is coordinating the technology installation.  “Our new systems are taking us from   obsolete manual mechanisms to high-tech information systems that enable us to share information across our continuum, including our hospital, long-term care facility, outpatient programs, and more than 40 physician offices in the community.  The potential for improved access and greater efficiency is remarkable.”

According to Chapman, Long Beach Medical Center’s leadership supports the idea of including community physicians as part of the technology expansion.  “By providing physicians with patient information at their fingertips, doctors can provide more immediate care to their patients,” said Chapman.  “Not only is that advantageous to the patient, but it also increases hospital efficiency by allowing staff to focus on patient care rather than tasks such as pulling charts, lab results, etc.” 

Long Beach Medical Center received HEAL grant funding from New York State to assist in its modernization of technology systems.  The completion of the final Phase is anticipated to occur in early/late 2014, although upgrades will be ongoing as technologies advance in the future.