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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Lawrence S. Brown, MD, MPH, FASAM, Steven Kritz, MD, Melissa Chu, MS, Charles Madray, RPA-C, MBA, and Carlota John-Hull, MD. Division of Medical Services, Evaluation and Research, Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation, 22 Chapel Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, 718 260-2917, lbrown@artcny.org

Considerable discussion continues about ways to achieve desirable healthcare outcomes cost-effectively. Use of electronic health information systems has been the focus of many of these discussions, though generally not in substance abuse programs. Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation (ARTC) is an outpatient opioid treatment program providing onsite primary medical care and HIV-related care to approximately 3,000 predominantly minority adults in New York City. These patients are subject to significant disparities in healthcare access and quality compared to the general population. ARTC assessed the selection process for implementation of an electronic health information system integrating all aspects of clinical care, administrative processes and fiscal data. Buy-in by stakeholders (patients, clinicians and managers) was the initial focus of this process. Five specific aims (quality, productivity, satisfaction, financial performance and risk management) and related hypotheses were selected based on needs assessment meetings with stakeholders and literature review of previously published investigations. The final selection of specific health information hardware and software is informed by a number of specific criteria, including the ability to provide relevant data regarding the aims mentioned above, information obtained from stakeholders and literature review, and determination as to whether the system will be developed in-house, by outside vendors or as a hybrid. Presentations by various vendors were evaluated using specific criteria. The results of this process have the potential to inform continuing discussions about the selection and impact of integrated electronic systems in enhancing healthcare outcomes and agency cost-effectiveness in substance abuse treatment settings for this unique patient population.

Learning Objectives:

• To inform continuing discussions about the selection and impact of integrated electronic systems in enhancing healthcare outcomes and agency cost-effectiveness in opioid treatment settings that also provide medical and behavioral healthcare to an underserved patient population.

Keywords: Computer-Assisted, Cost-Effectiveness

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Handout (.pdf format, 630.8 kb)

Handout (.ppt format, 829.5 kb)