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Merlin Builds Excellence at ACMC
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released 09/16/2009
Oakland, CA. - In 2007 Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) received a $1.57m grant for the development of a clinical electronic documentation system with software and laptops to use at the patient bedside. ACMC contributed an additional $1m enabling the project to include Lab and Radiology results as well as notes from Respiratory, Physical Therapy, Speech, Occupational Therapy, and even Pastoral Care. The system; MERLIN - Managing Electronic Records goes live on September 22nd in Highland's Intensive Care Unit and Step Down Unit, and on the 29th on 5 East and the 7th floor. The roll-out will continue until all ACMC nursing units are engaged.
"The mission of MERLIN is to develop an electronic multidisciplinary tool that will provide accurate, accessible and timely information at the point of care," said Julie Kliewer, RN., Project Coordinator, "Clinical Documentation is one of the critical components of an electronic health record." As a result of implementing MERLIN, ACMC will document improved outcomes; decrease medication errors, reduce patient length of stay, increase patient education, and increase appropriate vaccines upon discharge.
"ACMC is fully committed to electronic health record implementation," said Ed Dullard, Chief Information Officer. MERLIN implementation will be followed by medication safety (bar coding), Computerized Physician Ordering Entry (CPOE) and a physician online documentation program. We believe that these projects lay a solid foundation and build upon our commitment to build excellence as we push towards an electronic health record and demonstrate our "meaningful use" of technology making ACMC eligible for federal incentives starting in 2011."
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