The Southeastern Minnesota Beacon Community will use the expanded availability of electronic health records and health information exchange to:
Enhance patient involvement in the management of chronic illness
Improve disease metrics and quality of life for patients diagnosed with diabetes or childhood asthma
Reduce costs associated with hospitalization and emergency services for patients with diabetes or childhood asthma
Address health disparities for underserved populations and rural communities
Through the expanded health information exchange made possible by the Beacon Community, the area will see widespread use of health information technology along with lower health care costs, increased care management through streamlined workflow, and improved community health.
The Beacon opportunity is really to ensure that we can generate a community of collaborating partners who are able to exchange information about our patients so that we can really deliver more effective care efficiently.
–Christopher Chute, M.D., Dr.P.H., Southeastern Minnesota Beacon Community
Visit healthIT.gov to learn more about how health IT is helping patients, doctors, and stakeholders get the information they need, empowering them to make changes, and improving the nation's health.
