"We had a $1.2 million gift. We're a small, rural hospital, so freeing up that kind of capital does not happen often. We decided early on that we were not going to take the path of least resistance," he added.

Randolph Medical Center officials said they chose Dairyland Healthcare Solutions because of the comprehensiveness and ease of use of its technology and the company's track record in building patient data exchanges.

"We are pleased that Randolph Medical Center has chosen Dairyland as its technology partner. We are enthusiastic about helping Randolph work through many of the questions that relate to patient records and establish new technology standards to address these. This is a very important and exciting initiative to be part of," said Dairyland CEO James Burgess.

What protocols should be in place for patient consent and patient privacy? E-mail Associate Editor Molly Merrill at molly.merrill@medtechpublishing.com.