Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Athenahealth Announce Partnership
By Julia Ernst, contributing writer
The agreement includes the purchase of web-based applications, the implementation of software for enhanced inpatient functionality, and more.
A new venture between Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and athenahealth includes the purchase of web-based clinical applications and the development of a new inpatient service. The venture has several parts.
First, athenahealth has purchased webOMR, the web-based clinical applications and electronic health record (EHR) platform developed by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). The two organizations will also collaborate on the development of athenahealth’s acute care service offering, which will support the needs of large hospitals and health systems across the United States.
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, a 58-bed community hospital, will serve as the alpha development site for this new program, which includes the use of newly developed athenahealth software for enhanced inpatient functionality as well as the company’s existing portfolio of patient engagement software.
Finally, Beth Israel Deaconess Healthcare (BIDHC), which comprises 185 providers across 38 Massachusetts locations, will begin a phased implementation of athenahealth’s athenaOne EHR suite, revenue cycle management, and patient engagement services.
According to a news release on the venture, the webOMR platform was developed over the past three decades and is recognized as one of the first inpatient and outpatient EHR systems built by a hospital, as well as the first self-built EHR system to achieve Meaningful Use Certification by the federal government.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is an affiliate of Harvard Medical School that offers patient care as well as teaching and research. The BIDMC umbrella includes a number of other hospitals and health centers.
As a company, athenahealth offers technological solutions in a number of areas, including EHRs, patient engagement, revenue cycle management, and more. The organization can also assist with requirements like Meaningful Use and ICD-10.