Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center has been awarded $300,000 in federal funds to help implement advancements in health information technology, Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., announced today.

Kohl was instrumental in securing the money that will help fund a system that will digitally connect all health care facilities in the tri-state region.
In 2007, Kohl worked to provide $189,000 in federal money for the first phase of the project.

With 50 percent of Gundersen Lutheran's patients referred to the health care center from communities and facilities outside of La Crosse County, the ability to access up-to-date medical, financial and administrative information is the key to coordinating care for patients, said Deb Rislow, chief information officer at Gundersen Lutheran.

“Health information technology is a critical component to providing health care in western Wisconsin, and throughout the tri-state region, helping to prevent medical errors and reduce health care costs," Rislow said.

Gundersen Lutheran is already recognized as a national leader in health IT for its proactive, internal development of the electronic medical record, Clinical Workstation, which connects Gundersen Lutheran with its regional partners.

Currently, non-Gundersen Lutheran facilities have “view only” access to the Gundersen Lutheran medical records, but the goal is to establish a regional health care network capable of complete electronic sharing.

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