We’re proud to announce that the University Hospital of Ghent (UZ Gent) has entered into partnership with Cerner for the implementation of a fully integrated electronic health record (EHR). Together with Cerner, UZ Gent will start their EHR project immediately. The project is called Geniuz, a reference to Ghent, information and UZ. The main objectives of Geniuz are to prepare UZ Gent for the future and increase patients’ involvement in their wellbeing. The partnership is an important step in the realisation of eHealth.
eHealth is the collective name for technological applications that support electronic care processes in healthcare, allowing organisations to anticipate trends. The Belgian government rightly views eHealth as a priority for the future, as the sector undergoes a radical transformation at a rapid pace. Aging populations, the shift from acute to chronic care, and increasingly complex care processes mean healthcare institutions need to be more efficient and provide higher quality at the same time.
The EHR bundles all patients’ medical data digitally and includes information such as medical history, diagnosis, treatment, medication schedules, medical imaging, lab results, allergies and other pertinent data about a patient. With all this data available, the new EHR can also support physicians and healthcare providers. For example, the system can make suggestions to plan the necessary investigations for a patient or warn about allergies or even sepsis.
Big bang in 2019
As a first step, the existing EHR is completely replaced. This means that the new system will take over all the basic functions of the current one. To ensure the continuity of care, the switchover of the entire system will take place in a big bang in 2019. In the build-up to that date, around 4,000 employees will be trained.
Additionally, a portal for patients will be built. That portal will not only be an up-to-date means of communication, but also enable patients to send their health data from home (measurements or wearables) safely and efficiently to the attending physician. The new EHR will also enable communication with partner hospitals and external healthcare providers.
Cerner is the chosen partner for Geniuz
After an extended procurement process, UZ Gent chose the Cerner solution as the most suitable package for their EHR. “With Millennium we have chosen a high end, flexible EHR solution with comprehensive integrated functionalities which fully aligns with the needs of UZ Gent, its care providers and patients”, says Christiaan Polet, UZ Gent’s CIO. “With the solution from Cerner, we are preparing for the future. We choose a big bang scenario and will switch from one day to another to the new EHR. This will ensure continuity of care. Together with Cerner, we will organise that transition down to the smallest detail.”
Cor Rumping, general manager for Cerner Belgium and the Netherlands, remarks, "We are honoured to work with UZ Gent on Geniuz. The project will make a significant contribution to the quality of the care of UZ Gent and the Ghent region, for both patients and healthcare providers.
About UZ Gent
With around 3,000 patients per day and over 6,000 staff, the UZ Gent is one of the largest and most specialised hospitals in Flanders. Patients can go there for the full range of highly specialised, high-quality care for which the hospital has extensive facilities and over 1,000 beds for one-day visits or overnight stays. For our care provision, quality and customer-friendly service is key. As a university centre the UZ Gent also constantly invests in scientific research and education.
About Cerner
Cerner’s health information technologies connect people, information and systems at more than 25,000 provider facilities worldwide. Cerner’s mission is to contribute to the systemic improvement of health care delivery and the health of communities. Recognised for innovation, Cerner solutions assist clinicians in making care decisions and enable organisations to manage the health of populations. The company also offers an integrated clinical and financial system to help health care organisations manage revenue, as well as a wide range of services to support clients’ clinical, financial and operational needs.
