Marshfield Clinic today announced its plan to form Marshfield Clinic Information Services (MCIS), a new company that will build on nearly five decades of health information technology expertise.
As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marshfield Clinic, MCIS will be well-positioned to increase the value of information technology for its customers in an ever-changing and complex health care industry. Ultimately, MCIS will expand on its years of experience to offer health care providers and patients innovative, easy-to-use products for managing health information and patient data.
The Clinic's more than 350 Information Systems (IS) Department employees will join MCIS. Ken Letkeman, chief information officer for the Clinic's IS department, will guide the process. The anticipated changes are effective October 1.
"The pace of change in health care is astonishing," Letkeman said. "By becoming an independent company, it will allow our technology teams to respond quickly to those changes, and to offer timely, cost-effective solutions to health care companies in an innovative fashion."
Marshfield Clinic has a rich history in health information technology and software development. The Clinic has used a computer-based electronic health record for more than 20 years. Cattails Software Suite, Marshfield Clinic's homegrown electronic health record, was developed in conjunction with Clinic providers and the Information Systems Department.
Cattails Software Suite played a significant role in the Clinic's success in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Physician Group Practice project. Marshfield Clinic improved patient care while lowering health care costs during the five-year project – saving the Medicare program more than $118 million.
MCIS will build upon and support the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit that already exists among its employees who have a proven track record creating and implementing an innovative electronic health record and population health management tools.
"We want to improve patient care and experience by developing and offering innovative technologies to patients and their health care providers." Letkeman said.
MCIS will provide its current customers with population health management software, managed information technology services and a managed electronic medical record. As MCIS transitions operations, it will look in the future to offer its services to additional health care organizations.
"Launching the Clinic's information services as an independent company will allow for growth opportunities," said Dr. Brian Ewert, Marshfield Clinic president and CEO. "MCIS will be better positioned to offer value to its customers, develop new products, pursue marketplace opportunities and attract qualified staff with a tech-focused culture – all with the goal of improving service for patients."
The Marshfield Clinic system provides patient care, research and education in more than 50 locations in northern, central and western Wisconsin, making it one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States.
