Mickey Mouse EMR System
Disney's Magic Kingdom has its own clinical EHR system for employees
Michael Hankins is Walt Disney World's chief physician. Most people don’t know the park had a chief physician, but many had the opportunity to meet him at the HIMSS14 where Hankins discussed what this famed park has to offer its employees.
According to Healthcare IT News, "Hankins works for the Occupational Health Services division of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and his Orlando-based team treats Disney staffers - called cast members - and tourists alike." Hankins notes, “We have the same goals as other providers, but in a different setting. We aren't the only primary care providers for our employees, but occupational medicine has focused for a long time on making sure all stakeholders outside the medical team get access to information as needed."
Healthcare IT News further reports, “Supporting (Disney physicians) is an integrated clinical EHR with health surveillance and chronic condition management capabilities. Hankins said the EHR allows caregivers to easily identify clinical information by incident or issue while maintaining overall patient record. Secure messaging to outside stakeholders, such as other physicians, insurers, and employers, is also a core function.
“‘The technology needs to be interoperable with legacy systems, testing devices, corporate HR applications and insurance providers,’ Hankins said. The EHR promotes employee engagement, with interactive web portals and a personal health record accessible at anytime, anywhere.”
HealthData Management quotes Hankins as saying, “It is really important to engage and make sure all three (providers, employees, and employers) understand the advocacy within their employer base. Employers don't need access to confidential information, but are highly motivated to help individuals who work for them to stay healthy - very often they don't know how or what to do." Disney has a plan to overcome this, though.
"Disney has turned to technology and innovations, which Harkins called a great enabler. These enabling tools allow nurses and medical providers to show Disney ‘cast members’ - all employees are considered cast members - ways of avoiding unhealthy behaviors and also the ramifications of those behaviors, such as obesity and a sedentary lifestyle clearing a path for heart disease."
As stated on the HiMSS14 website, "Delivering healthcare at land and sea for cast members and guests alike requires both strategic vision and technical competency to ensure that the infrastructure can support clinical objectives. And not only must care be delivered at a moment's notice but also Disney must ensure that a competent workforce is continually trained to meet a variety of occupational requirements and guest needs."
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