Legacy Community Health Clinic secured $1 million in federal funding to help upgrade its outdated electronic medical records software. The clinic’s current software is more than a decade old and makes it hard for health care providers to address the needs of its patients.
The clinic has 55 locations in Houston and surrounding areas, and locations in Beaumont that serve underserved and uninsured residents. The clinic sees over 200,000 patients a year, but it's challenging for some patients to get access to their medical records under the current system.
"It doesn't just help this clinic, it will help every hospital, every doctor's office that they touch by and through the patients that will visit these other facilities," said Congressman Al Green.
Under the current system, in order for patients and doctors to get access to medical records, the clinic has to fax paperwork between other medical facilities, which often delays treatment.
Green said it’s unfortunate that the clinic had to wait this long for technology upgrades.
"We’re very fortunate that the federal government has allowed me as their congressman to direct money to them for this purpose," he said. "This is $1 million that's directed by and through the congressional office – so I feel like I'm fulfilling my mission, I'm helping people – which is what we're sent to Congress to do."
The new software will give patients access to their medical history and allow them to set appointments and refill prescriptions online. It also allows healthcare providers to be more efficient
"Now, with the new system, when patients go to different providers, especially in the Medical Center, we'll have their records and they'll have ours," said Legacy CEO Robert Hilliard Jr.
Hilliard said the new software is the next step in making sure patients are getting the care they need.
"It feels amazing, because what's going to happen is that it changes people’s lives right, that's what it’s all about," he said. "Health is the foundation of happiness, if you don't have health, it's really hard to progress the rest of your life – so having current medical records and the newest technology allows patients to go onto our website see what's going on with them, make sure they get their medication – so it's an amazing thing."
Health care providers at the clinic will go through 4 months of training before the system goes live on October 7.