WKU News

Several members of the WKUHS team attended the Allscripts Client Experience (ACE) 2009 in Orlando from July 28-August 1. Allscripts (http://www.allscripts.com/) develops many industry leading healthcare software applications, including the electronic health records (EHR) and practice management products used at WKUHS. The central theme of this year's conference was "Connect", in keeping with the current US initiative to improve the efficiency and connectivity of the healthcare industry's information systems.

WKUHS staff members enhanced their knowledge of Allscripts applications by selecting from over 100 different courses covering specific software capabilities and business needs. Allscripts also offered "road map" sessions that detailed their plans for enhancing and improving their products in the future. Regional User Groups meetings were also held at ACE. They gave the staff a chance to network with other Allscripts users in our geographical area, discuss similar business needs and exchange tips for using the products.

Allscripts partners constructed booths where they demonstrated their peripheral or add-on products that work in conjunction with the Allscripts applications. Allscripts Inside Sales Department also had booths where they demonstrated various modules and upgrades for their product. This was a great opportunity to get hands on experience with these products and to question the developers as to their operation and to learn of plans for future functionality. The WKUHS staff was able to use new technology like check in kiosks with biometric recognition and investigate how to increase their work flow efficiency with products such as real time insurance verification, patient web portals, paperless charge tickets and electronic payment processing.

A favorite of every ACE is the The Connection Center where Allscripts support staff and product managers can be scheduled for consulting sessions that address specific client issues. The WKUHS staff made good use of this resource by spending several hours with the Allscripts professionals working through "real life" issues by remotely accessing the actual WKUHS database.

The motivational speakers at this year's ACE were Milton and Fred Ochieng'. Milton and Fred are two brothers from Kenya who return home to finish the health clinic their father started. Their story is told in "Sons of Lwala" (http://www.sonsoflwala.com/) which follows them as they find a way, despite all odds, to open their village's first hospital.

The WKUHS staff members returned to work ready to tackle their To Do Lists, equipped with new knowledge, inspired by the tale of the Ochieng' brothers and motivated by Allscripts CEO Glen Tullman's call to be a contributer in transforming the healthcare industry.