The Knox County Health Department announced yesterday evening its decision to purchase patient-oriented software using funds from a new federal grant.
Public Health Administrator Michele Gabriele says the new software will improve access to, and organization of, patient records.
“The intention is a software program like that will eventually earn us money,” Gabriele. “It allows us to perform at a better higher level.”
The health department was one of just seven health centers statewide which each received a $35,000 portion of the larger federal grant.
The funds are to be used toward moving health centers toward “Patient-Centered Medical Home” status, a healthcare model designed to facilitate communication between patients and doctors.
Gabriel says that receiving this status in the future will benefit the health department.
“The reimbursements we get from the insurance company for managing those patients actually increases if we’re certified as a patient center medical home.,” Gabriele says.
The grant was secured in correlation with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
