Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, Va., is collaborating with NextGen Healthcare Information Systems to implement new technology in its quest to qualify for federal funding for healthcare IT improvements.

The 270-bed hospital will implement Horsham, Pa.-based NextGen’s Community Health Solution, Electronic Health Record, Enterprise Practice Management and Image Control System. With these new solutions in place, officials say they hope to receive available stimulus funds as well as improve the quality of care for patients.

“Rockingham Memorial's ambulatory enterprise continues to experience significant growth, so finding technology to meet our current and future operational needs was critical,” said Mike Rozmus, the hospital's CIO and vice president of information services. “Also, with economic incentives becoming available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, we need an interoperability platform that can facilitate clinical data exchange across our network of affiliated practices.”

RMH serves a seven-county region with a growing population of 200,000 residents. The hospital admits more than 15,500 patients and delivers approximately 1,700 babies annually. With the new technology, RHM looks to increase its inpatient capabilities by optimizing procedures and eliminating inefficiencies.

The first phase of the deployment focuses on the Enterprise Practice Management solution and will begin this month. Following roll-outs will start in early 2010 and involve NextGen’s CHS and EHR solutions.