10/18/2019

Wentworth-Douglass to Launch Partners eCare

Partners eCare is a comprehensive electronic health and administrative record and information system that will enhance the quality, accessibility, efficiency and coordination of your experience. The transition to Partners eCare is one of Wentworth-Douglass's largest organization changes ever, integrating us with the medical record system used by Massachusetts General Hospital and all of Mass General Brigham.

eCare will integrate everything from clinical information and patient records to scheduling, registration and billing.

The system will allow clinical and administrative information to be shared at WDH and throughout the Partners network, improving coordination of patient care and reducing duplication of efforts.

Benefits for Patients

eCare will provide:

• A comprehensive patient record for a faster and more secure diagnosis and treatment.
• Online tools to make it more convenient to view and manage appointments, personal information, care instructions and medication. 
• Up-to-date documentation for your full clinical care team offering easier access, in one place, to information about your allergies, medications and medical history.
• One Partners billing statement.

Patients also will be able to access all of their clinical and billing information through a new patient portal called Partners Patient Gateway. Once a patient has enrolled in Patient Gateway, they will be able to communicate with their clinical care teams, schedule routine appointments, monitor lab results, refill prescriptions and pay their bill.

Partners eCare FAQs

What is Partners eCare?

Partners eCare is a comprehensive electronic health and administrative record and information system that will launch at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital on October 26, 2019, integrating our medical record system with Massachusetts General Hospital and all of Mass General Brigham.

eCare will enhance the quality, accessibility, efficiency and coordination of your experience.

How will eCare work?

eCare will allow clinical and administrative information to be shared at WDH and throughout the Mass General Brigham network, improving coordination of patient care and reducing duplication of efforts.

eCare will integrate everything here at WDH from clinical information and patient records to scheduling, registration and billing.

Why do I sometimes hear eCare referred to as Epic?

Epic is the primary technology vendor for the Partners eCare system. Partners selected Epic because of its reputation as a leader in health information technology and its success in working with some of the nation’s most respected academic medical centers and health systems. Other hospitals that work with Epic include Stanford, Dartmouth‐Hitchcock, Duke, Johns Hopkins and New York University.

When will I notice a difference as a patient?

eCare will launch at WDH on October 26, 2019. 

Although we are making every effort to ensure that there is minimal impact to patients during this transition to eCare, it’s expected you will notice some differences.

At first, you may experience some temporary delays as everyone at Wentworth-Douglass will be using a new electronic medical record and administrative system. 

Our staff has received training and support on eCare, but, as with anything new, there will be adjustments. It may take some extra time for them to become used to new workflows and ways of inputting information. 

We certainly appreciate your patience and understanding during our transition to eCare.

What are the benefits of eCare for patients?

eCare will provide:

• Shared records with easier access to patient information, like allergies, medications and medical history.
• Better clinical team coordination for smoother transitions from inpatient to home care.
• Online tools that make it more convenient to view and manage appointments, personal information, care instructions and medications.
• Fewer forms and less paperwork

The other good news is that there will now be only one patient portal, instead of several different portals.

Every patient will be able to set up a profile on the new Patient Gateway once we are live on eCare. (Please watch for more details regarding enrollment.)

Once you have access to Patient Gateway, you’ll be able to view and manage appointments, as well as communicate with your care team, receive lab results and refill prescriptions. You’ll also have access to one Partners billing statement.

Our overall goal is to enhance our patient-centered care to make your experience with WDH’s team the best it can be.

Why am I experiencing delays?

Our staff has had considerable training on the new eCare electronic health record system, but this system is still new to everyone. Your check-in process and visit may take a little longer as we become more familiar with the new system.

Our top priority continues to be to provide you with the best experience and the highest quality medical care possible. If you have any questions, please speak with a member of your care team, who will be happy to assist you.

We appreciate your patience!

How long do you expect these delays to last?

We are working diligently to assure this transition goes as smoothly as possible. Our goal is that check-in times and visits will be back to normal by mid-November.