ACADEMIC MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS INFUSE
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTO CURRICULA

Cerner’s Academic Education Solution prepares students for “real world”

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Oct. 10, 2003—Recent studies from the Institute of Medicine show medical students need technological skills to thrive in increasingly automated work environments and to better meet patient safety and care quality imperatives.

The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn. is at the forefront of this paradigm shift using Cerner’s Academic Education Solution as a tool for teaching the nurses and doctors of tomorrow.

“Chalkboards and textbooks can’t compete with the real-world scenarios Cerner solutions provide,” said Charlotte Weaver, R.N., Ph.D., vice president and chief nursing officer at Cerner. “Students can track a complete care process working on the actual software that’s used in hospitals.”

The College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.)

St. Scholastica is placing technology at the core of its health science professional curriculum. Starting in 2004, the school is implementing Cerner solutions throughout all five of the college’s health science programs¾nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology and health information management.

“Information technology is an essential component of the healthcare system and incorporating it into healthcare education is critical,” said Dr. Larry Goodwin, St. Scholastica president. “Medical, nursing and allied health professional programs must prepare students for an increasingly electronic workplace where IT is the backbone of healthcare delivery.”

When complete, St. Scholastica will be the first college to apply this technology across all its heath sciences disciplines simultaneously. The primary goal of implementing Cerner solutions is to increase the competence of health science graduates to practice in today’s computer-based work environment, according to Shirley Eichenwald Maki, MBA, RHIA, CPHIMS, and assistant professor in the St. Scholastica Department of Healthcare Informatics and Information Management. 

The University of Kansas (KU)

The University of Kansas School of Nursing also integrated Cerner’s academic software into its program and is teaching future nurses to document care and view a patient’s overall record in a searchable electronic format. The software provides information nurses need at the point of care, enhancing their decision-making skills and increasing the quality of care provided.

“For our graduating healthcare students to function completely in this information age, our approach must address the skill sets required to change the way data is communicated,” said Karen Miller, R.N., Ph.D., FAAN, dean of the KU School of Nursing. “The KU School of Nursing is giving students a competitive advantage in the marketplace and an understanding of how IT plays a vital role in nursing care.”

The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC)

Cerner also provides solutions to academic medical centers such as the University of Maryland. Dr. David Gens, an associate professor of surgery at the hospital, conducts rounds with his students gathered around a mobile cart displaying the technology. 

“By looking at results with my residents in real time, the teaching process can be more effective,” said Gens.  “We’re there with the patient and current data, and can discuss the individual’s condition. It’s a much more interactive process with additional context at the bedside to facilitate valuable learning.”

The University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago (UIMC)

At the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, students are using Cerner software to track patients and orders in the care process. “With consultants, attendings, students and residents all involved in decision-making, it’s not unusual for an order to change several times before a patient receives a drug,” said John McBride, pharmacist, UIMC. “With systems in place to streamline communications and provide decision support to prescribers, we can much more efficiently and safely manage medications, all while delivering quality care and education.”

Wayne State University (Detroit)

Clinicians and educators aren’t alone in realizing the value technology brings to healthcare. Students are also recognizing the importance, and it’s helping hospitals with retention. At the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) and Wayne State University School of Medicine, students are attracted to the clinical software’s ability to provide critical information fast. “The system has been a significant factor in the recruitment and retention of medical students into our residency programs,” said John Malone, M.D., associate dean, WSU School of Medicine. “The ability to quickly and easily retrieve and evaluate sequential radiology and laboratory test results is a major area of satisfaction for our medical students and residents.”

Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics: Oct. 11-12, 2003, Kansas City. Mo.

Nursing education will be one of the topics discussed at Cerner’s Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics. Held in conjunction with the annual Cerner Health Conference, this course focuses on trends and issues facing the nursing profession and examines nursing information theories, the impact of human factors, systems analysis and design approaches. Methods for managing information databases and systems and evaluating computer technology systems will also be discussed.

Cerner Corp. is taking the paper chart out of healthcare, eliminating error, variance and waste in the care process. With more than 1,500 clients worldwide, Cerner is the leading supplier of healthcare information technology. The following are trademarks of Cerner: Cerner, Cerner’s logo, Cerner Millennium and PathNet. Nasdaq: CERN, www.cerner.com