Academic Incubator
As patients, hospitals and even the federal government press for nationwide adoption of EHRs, colleges and universities have begun to recognize how important it is to introduce medical and nursing students to clinical information systems. To this end, a few forward-thinking medical and nursing schools are developing programs using academic applications of commercial clinical information systems.
In an effort to help these institutions build clinical informatics competency early, Medsphere offers schools of medicine, nursing and clinical informatics our OpenVista open-source electronic health record (EHR) system, as well as implementation and support services, at a special educational rate. This Academic Incubator Program manifests Medsphere’s belief that direct and early experience with clinical information systems will be increasingly important as these students become practicing clinicians.
Simulated patient data
University faculty at a variety of institutions can develop simulated patient data in the OpenVista system for use in clinical courses where students practice documenting and retrieving data. OpenVista also provides students with an opportunity not available with proprietary systems: the ability to contribute clinical best practices, templates and other valuable additions to this overall EHR solution and actively participate in the design and development of OpenVista going forward.
OpenVista helps prepare students for residencies
The adoption of OpenVista at the education level can also prepare many students for later residency training.
For example, more than 85 percent of Veterans Administration hospitals are teaching hospitals and more than half of all medical students rotate through the VA each year. By the time they reach residency, about 65 percent of all physicians trained in the U.S. will have some experience with VistA. A growing number of healthcare organizations around the country are now live on OpenVista, which has its roots in VistA.
Medsphere's Academic Incubator program helps medical students gain experience and familiarity with a system they will likely use at some point during their training and later in hospital or clinic practice.