NORTH?SMITHFIELD – Saint Antoine Residence has been awarded a $770,000 grant from the Manton Foundation to implement an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. The grant is the largest ever received by the health care center.
Electronic Health Records systems are mandated to be in place by the year 2014 for organizations receiving federal assistance, such as Medicaid reimbursements. In an EHR environment, data is entered at the point of care and is made available immediately across clinical and financial departments.
Evidence has shown that an EHR’s expeditious handling of information leads to better care for residents and increased third-party reimbursements. This is because data only is entered once, avoiding duplication and errors, and may be quickly retrieved for care decisions.
Wendy Fargnoli, Saint Antoine’s executive director, said, “We are overjoyed to have received this award. Like most nursing homes, we have many technology needs. However, an EHR system is at the top of our list because, in the end result, it will help many people with our provision of care.”
Saint Antoine Residence, established in 1913, is a 260-bed skilled nursing facility located in North Smithfield; it is the largest facility of its kind in the state. It provides long term care, short term rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s/dementia care, and a Hospice Suite for end-of-life care. The residence employs close to 400 people and engages more than 150 volunteers. It is one of the largest employers in northern Rhode Island.
The Manton foundation was established by Sir Edwin and Lady Manton and supports a range of cultural, educational, and health programs.
