KANSAS CITY, Mo. and WILMINGTON, Del. -- The benefits of information technology are well known for large hospitals and healthcare organizations, but emerging data from physician practice groups is beginning to tell another story of IT success. Delaware Cardiovascular Associates (DCA), with 15 cardiologists and seven offices throughout the state, made its initial foray into automation in 2000 with Cerner, the nation's leading provider of healthcare IT. Since that time, the practice has:
* Increased annual revenues by $300,000 by reducing appointment no-shows from six to four percent
* Increased revenues per cardiologist by $76,000 annually through improved coding practices, and
* Reduced reimbursement time from 40 days to less than 11 using an automated record-keeping system


In total, DCA estimates a net total return on its IT investment of almost $2 million.

"By implementing Cerner's physician practice technology, we've improved our quality and efficiency while optimizing revenues," said Dr. Anthony Alfieri, managing partner for Delaware Cardiovascular Associates. "The solutions are saving our office time and money, but I think more importantly, they have raised the level of care we give."

The use of electronic medical records directly contributes to DCA's ability to save lives. In 2001, for example, manufacturers recalled a lipid-lowering medication that proved to cause a sometimes fatal adverse muscle reaction. The staff quickly searched more than 40,000 electronic records to identify patients taking the drug. In less than 24 hours, the 138 affected patients were contacted and successfully transitioned to alternate treatments. Additionally, the electronic medical record eliminated 100 percent of chart pulls, granting the office considerable time to dedicate to those in their care.

By selecting Cerner, DCA chose a supplier with strength in numbers. Cerner has more 4,300 Cerner Millennium© solutions live at nearly 860 client facilities around the world, providing technology solutions for a diverse client base, from independent physicians to nationwide healthcare organizations.
"The success of Delaware Cardiovascular Associates validates our belief that with greater adoption of physician practice solutions, care providers will realize greater reduction in errors, administrative friction and an increase in care efficiency and patient communication," said Trace Devanny, Cerner president.

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