Springfield Clinic

Source: Healthcare Digital

Date :11/04/2008 04:02:12

J. Michael Maynard speaks with Exec and reveals why patient care is Springfield Clinic’s highest priority

Written by Ian Armitage and Produced by Shaheen Mohammadipour

When J. Michael Maynard joined Springfield Clinic more than 21 years ago the central Illinois clinic’s medical staff encompassed just 40 physicians. Today, he is CEO of the clinic and the story couldn’t be more different. It now has “nearly” 200 physicians and surgeons, representing a national scope of training, experience and influence, and looks to grow even further, continuing to improve healthcare in Illinois.

“That’s right,” says Mr. Maynard, “Springfield Clinic has nearly 200 physicians and surgeons who, together with over 1,400 employees, serve the communities of Central Illinois by providing medical specialists from virtually every field of medicine in 22 locations.”

Why has it grown so rapidly? Well, that’s easy, says Mr. Maynard - the clinic looks to create a health system where physician and executive leadership complement one another and teamwork, innovation and technology enhance evidence-based medicine and patient centered care. This inevitably required the clinic to grow. “We believe this approach to medicine will create the greatest value for our patients, employers and health insurance carriers,” says Mr. Maynard.

A forward thinking healthcare provider, Springfield Clinic is nearly complete in its process of switching over to an electronic health record (EHR). It is well documented that electronic systems provide superior functionality, allowing physicians and hospitals to manage their clinical workflow, documentation and business functions more efficiently.

“An EHR is a digital medical record, which can reduce medical errors,” says Mr. Maynard. “Healthcare information technology is very important to us. It allows for increased collaboration and better care as it will reduce paperwork and eliminate errors.”

EHR systems are believed to increase physician efficiency and reduce costs, while promoting standardization of care, helping Springfield Clinic fulfill its goal of offering greater value to patients, employers and health insurance providers. Indeed, according to Mr. Maynard, any attempt to eliminate errors related to paperwork and to enable better communication between healthcare providers improves treatment and lowers costs in the healthcare industry. Springfield Clinic’s system does just that and offers patients, employers, insurers and the healthcare community the opportunity to make knowledgeable healthcare choices.

Springfield Clinic uses Emdat Solution software, a web based suite of applications that automates the entire process of dictation, transcription and documentation delivery and storage.

“Springfield Clinic is driven to provide the highest quality care and we are excited to offer our patients the full value of the leading electronic health record,” said Mr. Maynard.

This exciting development has been welcomed by Springfield’s physicians who continually look to improve patient care. “We hope these tools, and others, will help strengthen healthcare,” says Mr. Maynard.

Renovation

Springfield Clinic is also nearing the completion of expansion and renovation of its main campus facility - a landmark $40 million project.

This is an exciting venture for Springfield Clinic, which has spent many years planning, designing and coordinating the project, designed to transform the way healthcare is delivered in central Illinois.

The eighteen-month project, which started last February, will see a new four-story, 115,000 square foot medical office building connected to the existing clinic facility. The new, state-of-the-art medical complex will house approximately 40 physicians from numerous medical specialties.

The project also includes significant renovation to all four floors of the existing main campus structure. The Clinic’s Ambulatory Surgery Center will nearly double in size and other service areas, including Prompt Care, Radiology, Oncology and the Oncology Infusion Unit will be expanded and improved.

“We strive to continually improve healthcare for our patients, physicians and employees here in central Illinois,” says Maynard. “It will provide the necessary medical facilities for our growth.” The project is well on schedule and Springfield is looking at taking occupancy of it by mid-August.

Bright future for Illinois

Springfield Clinic today ranks as the second largest private multi-specialty medical practice in Illinois. Its success and growth can be attributed to a number of factors, particularly its Board and physician leadership’s commitment to quality healthcare, a common pursuit of excellence and a shared vision for the future.

Combining the main campus expansion with new technologies like EHR, Springfield will undoubtedly improve the way healthcare is delivered in Illinois. “At Springfield Clinic we work together to change healthcare for the better, using technology, innovation and by successfully recruiting talented staff to make sure we are the very best,” says Maynard. “We will continue to use technology as it may develop.”

Springfield Clinic has served its community for more than 60 years, from its origin as a four physician practice founded in 1939. In that time it has witnessed the healthcare industry, as well as local community, evolve considerably. Today, the healthcare market continues to change at a fast pace and innovations such as electronic health systems help the organization adapt.

According to Maynard, the healthcare market is changing rapidly and we are now “witnessing the emergence of a consumer directed healthcare market, characterized by the rise of the individual healthcare consumer, new approaches to health management and an emerging senior market,” says Maynard, who believes this emerging senior market and growing demand for Springfield Clinic’s services was a large factor in the current expansion underway at Springfield.

Click here to view the corporate brochure on Springfield Clinic