(Eagle Grove, Iowa) –Community Health Center of Eagle Grove is transitioning to a new electronic health record (EHR) to support patient engagement and advance data sharing capabilities with local, state, and federal partners. This move will enhance how Community Health Center of Fort Dodge provides care, reduces costs, and connects to an integrated network of community health centers. This transition will take place at all four of the health center's locations in Fort Dodge, Dayton, Eagle Grove and Mason City.
The move to Epic is part of a nearly statewide collaboration and a new, unique national model. It will amplify the collective impact of Iowa’s community health centers as they share data and resources to support an integrated care system. At community health centers, patients can access comprehensive and integrated medical, oral health, behavioral health, and pharmacy services, often under one roof.
“This has been an epic year for us at Community Health Center,” said Renae Kruckenberg, CEO, Community Health Center of Fort Dodge Inc. “we began taking the steps for this transition back in February. It takes a lot of staff commitment and dedication for a project like this. Everyone has a roll in patient care from the front desk, to our providers, support staff and those behind the scenes in medical records and billing. Staff have been training and preparing for this transition for months.” Kruckenberg went on to say.
The new system will also empower community health center patients. With Epic, patients will have significantly improved access to their health information. They will have the ability to connect with their care teams, play an active role in their care, and to make the best healthcare decisions they can for themselves and their families.
“Externally we are looking forward to making things easier for patients and providing a new tool for patients to have access to their health information, internally we are looking forward to all of our teams being on the same system. With the system we have now our medical and behavioral health teams work on one platform and our dental team on another” said Kruckenberg.
This project will be managed by INConcertCare (INCC), a sister organization of the Iowa Primary Care Association (Iowa PCA), in collaboration with OCHIN, a nonprofit leader in equitable healthcare innovation and a trusted solutions partner, offering integrated support to a wide range of community-based providers for more than 20 years.
Community Health Center of Eagle Grove opened it's doors in July 2023. It operates under the umbrella of Community Health Center of Fort Dodge, Inc.. Community Health Center of Eagle Grove is located at 306 W Broadway in Eagle Grove and focuses on both oral health care and primary medical care. They provide a full line of dental services including, but not limited to, dental exams, cleanings, sealants, dental x-rays, extractions and fillings. The clinic is open to all and welcomes patients of all ages and income levels. They can be reached at 515-293-8111.
