28 Sep The Information Age of Healthcare – Leaders featured on local new economy show
MILWAUKEE, WI – Representatives of the Medical College of Wisconsin, UW-Medical School, the Wisconsin Technology Network and Aurora-Sinai, were featured on a Milwaukee business television show, “Avante’s Leaders in the New Economy,” that was broadcast, Sunday September 27, on WISN.
Dr. Jeffrey Smith, clinical assistant professor of medicine with the University of Wisconsin Medical School was joined by Mike Klein, founder and editorial director of the Wisconsin Technology Network, and Dr. William Hendee, senior associate dean and vice president of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Victoria Strobel was the show’s host and led a thoughtful discussion on the challenges building the tech economy in Wisconsin.
Leaders in the New Economy is a series that engages leaders involved in Wisconsin’s new economy in discussions about how technology is being used to advance business goals and the state’s economy. Avante Economic Research Associates, a strategic research and analysis firm produces the show with a focus on both private and public sector economic growth and development strategies.
Much of the show focused on Smith, who is the medical director of the UW/Aurora Sinai Inpatient Medical Program. In this capacity, Smith has been involved in development and roll-out of a Computerized Patient Record (CPR) System. While many technological innovations in health care tend to improve clinical outcomes but increase cost, according to Smith, Aurora’s CPR system helps control costs and prevents clinical errors.
“The computerized patient record brings together all the information caregivers need to make the best decisions – information about clinic visits, emergency room visits, hospital stays, lab results, prescriptions and more,” Smith said. “Data is consolidated and organized in a single record that is available whenever and wherever it’s needed by those providing care. The result is more efficient and effective care, and ultimately lower costs.”
Aurora— with facilities in 75 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin — began phasing in its computerized patient record system eight years ago and today the systems secure and confidential database holds records for 3 million patients, about 56% of Wisconsin’s population.
Both Klein and Hendee pointed out that Aurora’s advances are only one example of Wisconsin’s health technology leadership. Klein pointed to established leaders like GE Medical Systems, Epic Systems, as well as emerging firms like Teramedica, and OpGen. Klein also mentioned that the state has many leading companies focused on improving healthcare through the use of Information technology.
Hendee noted Wisconsin start-ups like PointOne Systems, Prodesse Inc., Physiogenix and Neurognostics, are proof of an often-unrecognized fact: Wisconsin is becoming a world leader in health technology.
“There is a lack of national awareness about Wisconsin’s health and biotechnology leadership,” Klein said. The fact that the state is home to a growing medical technology and biotech sector will become clearer on Nov. 7 when Klein’s Wisconsin Technology Network presents The Evolving Healthcare Technology Conference at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. The event will feature world-class doctors, leading university and medical college faculty and health care IT executives. Key speakers will include GE Medical IT CEO, Dow Wilson and IBM’s Director of information based medicine, Ruth Taylor.
Hendee, who is organizing the conference along with Klein said, “Wisconsin is really a leader in the new medical economy, and we will focus on how medical costs can be decreased and patient safety and wellness increased, at our upcoming symposium at the Medical College.”
____________
Charles Rathmann is a freelance writer and contributor to Wisconsin Technology Network. He can be reached at charles@wistechnology.com.