Leah Binder, MA, MGA, new Chief Executive Officer for The Leapfrog Group, visited Methodist North this week to see first-hand how OneChart, North’s electronic medical record, is enhancing efficiency and patient safety.  The Leapfrog Group represents the nation’s largest corporations and public agencies and leverages its members’ clout to initiate breakthrough improvements in healthcare safety, quality and affordability.  Locally, efforts of The Leapfrog Group are coordinated through the Memphis Business Group on Health. MBGH’s CEO Cristie Travis accompanied Binder on the tour.

“I am very impressed with the work going on here at Methodist North with the (OneChart) electronic medical record and CPOE,” said Binder.  “Methodist North showed real courage to be the first private hospital in Memphis to implement an electronic medical record.  It’s disappointing to me that all hospitals in the nation are not where they are with this initiative.”

Joining Binder and Travis on the tour were representatives from Cigna including medical director Robert McLaughlin, M.D.  Spearheading the event were William Kenley, CEO of Methodist North, Karen Hopper, M.D., chief medical officer, Rhonda Murchison, chief nursing officer, and Marty Carr, M.D., emergency department medical director.

Dr. Carr and Dr. Jherico Borja showed Binder how physicians use CPOE to expedite care and quality.  Lynn Tillmans, RN demonstrated to Binder the significant advantages nurses have with bedside charting.

“Methodist North is exactly what’s needed in this community, a pioneer that works to affect outcomes and help employers to see how those outcomes are affecting their healthcare costs.”