Adams Receives First Barnett Award for EMRs

In conjunction with Texas A&M Health Science Center (TAMHSC) College of Medicine Reunion Weekend, on April 30, 2011, Rae Adams, M.D., ’08, Chief Resident at the TAMHSC College of Medicine Family Medicine Residency in Bryan, was awarded the first Max Don Barnett Senior Resident IT Award to attend an electronic medical records conference.

The Max Don Barnett Senior Resident IT Award was funded by the generosity of
Dr. and Mrs. James L. Holly in honor of Max Don Barnett.  Dr. Holly is a founding partner of Southeast Texas Medical Associates, LLP in Beaumont, Texas.

Electronic medical records and electronic patient management involve the systematic collection of electronic health information about individual patients or populations that can be shared across different health care settings.

With the aid of this award, Dr. Adams will learn how electronic medical records and electronic patient management enable tracking of quality metrics on individual patients; auditing of provider performance on populations of patients; and analyzing data to improve care.

“Electronic patient management is more than just medical records,” said Dr. Holly.  “It includes a complete record of patient encounters that streamlines the workflow in health care settings and increases safety through evidence-based decision making, quality management and outcomes reporting.”

“It is imperative that doctors be able to measure not what we are doing ‘to patients’ but rather what we are doing ‘for patients,’” Dr. Holly concluded.  “We must improve our patients’ health while also taking care of the business of medicine.”

“As doctors, we are lifelong learners,” said Dr. Adams.  “An award like this absolutely reinforces that we must continue to educate ourselves in order to improve the quality of care for our patients.”

The award will be given annually to a third-year resident in the TAMHSC College of Medicine Family Medicine Residency.