Nation's First Pediatric HIT Institute Formed
By Wendy Grafius, contributing writer
Children’s National Health Center aims to implement existing and emerging technologies with the help of Cerner with a goal of leading IT practice for children’s health
Children’s National Health System of Washington, D.C., is collaborating with Cerner Corporation to form The Bear Institute, the nation’s first health informatics institute devoted exclusively to pediatric care. Bringing physicians and medical experts from Children’s Hospital together with computer engineers from Cerner is expected to help the hospital implement existing and emerging technologies such as fully-integrated EHRs and data-driven treatment recommendations, as well as inspire innovation and software development for the improvement of children’s healthcare.
Serving children from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and outside of the region, Children’s National Health System’s flagship facility is a 303-bed acute care hospital with a level IV NICU, Cardiac ICU, Neuro ICU, and level I pediatric trauma center. Magnet designated by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, Children’s National consistently ranks among the top pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and the Leapfrog Group. The network is further composed of eight outpatient locations, an ambulatory surgery center, and an affiliation with more than 900 pediatricians. With more than 350 research projects at any one time, Children’s National is also a teaching hospital for residents, fellows, and graduate trainees, and is affiliated with George Washington University, Howard University, and other medical schools. Additionally, the system uses its location in the nation’s capital to serve as a voice and advocate for all children.
The Bear Institute will utilize innovation in electronic health information technology to further evidence-based pediatric care, research, and education. “If we are to achieve healthier societies, we will need innovation in two critical areas: Information Technology and the health and well-being of children. As information technology becomes more central to delivering world-class care, we see an opportunity to lead IT practice for children’s health,” said Kurt Newman, President and CEO, Children’s National. “We share this vision with Cerner, and that shared vision was the determining factor in the selection of Children’s National to be the partner for The Bear Institute. Together, we will serve as innovators for children and families.”
Secure web-enabled portals for patient/family engagement, available clinical trial databases matching with patient information, and personalized healthcare by linking genomic profiles are just some of the goals that have been set for The Bear Institute. Cerner, ranked seventh in Forbes’ “Most Innovative Companies in America”, will employ its Cerner Millennium solutions and services, assuming the IT responsibilities in this joint project. “This gives us an opportunity to combine our talents and resources and make incremental investments from both organizations to advance technology and informatics around pediatric medicine,” said Neal Patterson, co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Cerner. “Children in the region, across the country, and around the world will benefit from the work of The Bear Institute.”
SOURCE: Globe Newswire