WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Novant Health is improving access to patients' health information through a new MyChart collaboration, called "Happy Together," that went live on Sunday, Jan. 14. The collaboration between the two largest Winston-Salem healthcare organization, Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health, improves patient care by merging critical health information for patients.
Before the change, Winston-Salem healthcare patients needed to maintain a separate MyChart account for each of the two Epic organizations if they received care at Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health. The new efficiencies created by “Happy Together” allows patients access to their health information in a single MyChart account, even if they do not have an active MyChart account set up at both organizations.
After “Happy Together” successfully went live on Sunday, about 6,700 Novant Health patients had already connected their accounts by midnight on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
In addition to patient convenience, the change allows healthcare providers better and safe access to important patient records they need for improving quality and coordination of care for patients.
“’Happy Together’ for MyChart will allow patients to combine data from the two systems into a single view to improve their understanding of medications, lab results, plan of care and follow up appointments,” said Dr. Keith Griffin, Chief Medical Informatics Officer for Novant Health. “It is truly a major step forward towards the goal of patient engagement and elimination of barriers of information and confusion.”
With the initial launch, patients are only able to access information between Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health. Novant Health plans to continue efforts to expand this program in the future to include other health organizations that use Epic.
“Novant Health is committed to making care as easy and convenient as possible for our patients,” said Dave Garrett, Novant Health senior vice president and chief information officer. “Through the interoperability provided by ‘Happy Together,’ Novant Health can ensure our patients’ medical records are easily and securely accessed – so our patients can receive care when and where they need it most.”
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