Miramont Family Medicine in Fort Collins, Colo., is crediting its recognition as a HIMSS Davies Award winner to its participation in a slew of IT projects at both state and national levels.

Miramont, which has six physicians and six mid-level providers at four clinics, was one of two winners this year in the ambulatory care category. 

This was Miramont’s first year applying for the award. But as Medical Director John L. Bender, MD, noted, participation in research projects paved the way for Miramont to be able to demonstrate how IT has improved patient outcomes – which is exactly what HIMSS looks for in its applicants. 

"The HIMSS Davies Awards of Excellence, in its 16th year, recognizes healthcare organizations across the country going beyond the standard of care with technology as they leverage health IT to demonstrate excellence in care and outcomes, " said David Collins, HIMSS’ director of healthcare information systems.

Bender credits the clinic’s implementation of an electronic health record from Austin, Texas-based e-MDs as providing the foundation for improved data collection that was required for the projects.

“Such data reporting allows us to gather feedback that provides direction on where we need to focus our efforts for quality improvement. Over time, we have seen our metrics for chronic disease management improve, and we can share this data with patients and payers alike," Bender said.

Miramont was recognized in 2009 by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Level III Patient PCMH, the highest level achievable, for its participation in the Colorado Patient-Centered Medical Home pilot.

Key to the pilot was the ability to pull metrics from an EHR, said Bender. Miramont does this through Dallas-based Clinical Integration Networks of America. The clinic also uses CINA to pull metrics, like those for diabetes and stroke patients, in order to report to Colorado’s state-disease management registry, Reach My Doctor, said Bender.

Bender said Miramont was able to improve care for its diabetes patients –the percentage of patients with documented A1Cs went from 42 percent to 91.4 percent.  

The clinic is also using CINA to report to Bridges to Excellence for the third quarter of 2010.

 Bender said Miramont also enrolled in the national American Academy of Family Physicians’ electronic reporting research program, known as DARTNet, and a Medicaid incentive program called CCHAP that pays an extra 10 percent for administering developmental screening tools for conditions like depression.

“As this nation struggles with cost and quality issues relative to healthcare, there is a growing appreciation that – through the use of information technology – we can hope to monitor, understand and improve our health system,” said Daniel Griffin, MD, chairman of the HIMSS Davies Ambulatory Committee and 2006 Davies Award winner.

The pilots all pay for the metrics Miramont provides, which Bender said has “opened up a revenue stream,” giving Miramont a “competitive advantage in the market.”