Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest health network, is now using artificial intelligence (AI) to make the process of getting patients new medication safer and easier. The network partnered with DrFirst, a technology leader in healthcare.
With this partnership, Hackensack Meridian Health will be integrating new AI tools into its Epic electronic health record (EHR) system. This allows doctors and nurses to access medical histories and insurance information faster.
“This isn’t about using technology for technology’s sake,” said Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “It’s about simplifying things for our medical teams so they can focus on what matters most – the patient.”
Before the partnership, just 26% of prescription instructions, including dosages and frequency, which are also known as sigs, were automatically mapped into medication history fields in the EHR. Now, 86% of sigs were automatically mapped using the AI tools provided by DrFirst.
These steps make it significantly easier for doctors and nurses to enter this information, as much less is now required to be added manually. In addition to saving time for doctors to ensure that they can give every patient proper attention, it also allows them to provide the best possible care since they are provided with more information than they would’ve been.
“Too often, health systems treat innovation as a future project instead of a current priority,” said G. Cameron Deemer, CEO of DrFirst. “Hackensack Meridian Health is taking meaningful steps now—applying technology to reduce clinical burden and improve medication access in ways that directly benefit patients. Their example shows what’s possible when you focus on practical progress over big promises.”
Hackensack Meridian Health’s partnership with DrFirst ensures that patients are getting the best care possible. With the additional information received, it not only benefits the patients but also doctors.