Great Lakes Heath Connect Expands Virtual Integrated Patient Record Network

Great Lakes Health Connect (GLHC), Michigan’s largest health information exchange, is continuing to expand its network through collaboration with Grand Rapids based Clark Retirement Community. With this agreement, Clark will contribute data and have access to the 6.5 million records in GLHC’s secure Virtual Integrated Patient Record (VIPR).

The VIPR solution is unique in that it offers healthcare providers real-time access to the most comprehensive longitudinal view of an individual’s health record and treatment history. As a condition for gaining access, network participants contribute a wide range of patient data to the database. This reciprocal agreement provides the greatest possible value for all. As the quantity of information increases so does the overall quality of the information available for use in delivering an enhanced patient care delivery experience.

The agreement with Clark Retirement Community is notable as it represents the first continuing care retirement community in Michigan to contribute patient data to VIPR.

As one of the most respected and long serving retirement communities in Grand Rapids, Clark offers a full continuum of care services for seniors including residential and assisted living, inpatient post-acute rehabilitation, long-term skilled nursing care, and licensed homecare services.

“The increasing role that technology plays in our business and in the lives of our residents has been a real game changer”, said Casey Montgomery, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Clark. “Being part of a community health repository such as VIPR makes strategic sense for Clark as it offers seamless, secure, and real-time information that helps us maintain closer ties with our residents across multiple service areas. This enhanced access means we can deliver better care in a timelier manner with fewer errors, which translates to happier and healthier residents”.

Doug Dietzman, Executive Director at Great Lakes Health Connect, said this about the recent agreement Clark Retirement Community, “We are gratified that this forward thinking organization has chosen to expand their partnership with GLHC, and joined other providers from across Michigan in building the community record database. This agreement is reflective of the dynamic potential that exists for health information exchange to positively impact the quality, outcomes, and costs in healthcare delivery today”.

About Great Lakes Health Connect
Great Lakes Health Connect (GLHC) is among the leading providers of health information exchange services in the nation. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, GLHC seamlessly and securely facilitates the transmission of more than a billion messages a year across 128 health systems and nearly 4,000 primary, secondary and allied care provider offices across the state. The community-based nonprofit is dedicated to improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare information by creating care-connected communities across Michigan and beyond. For more information, visit http://www.gl-hc.org.

About Clark Retirement Community
Clark Retirement Community is a faith-based, not-for-profit retirement community with a full range of residential and home health services. Founded in 1906, Clark is nationally accredited and innovative. For more information, visit www.clarkretirement.org.