Logan Health adopting Billings Clinic's electronic health records system

Sep. 20—Billings Clinic-Logan Health are getting on the same page when it comes to storing and accessing electronic health records, according to Co-CEO Kevin Abel.

Abel said Logan Health hospitals will be moving to Oracle, the platform Billings Clinic currently uses for digital records. Logan Health previously used Meditech.

He said the switch will be made over three years, starting first with the critical access hospitals on the Hi-Line in Chester, Cutbank, Conrad and Shelby.

The health care system also has standardized its picture archiving and communication system, which is used for radiology imaging.

Abel said Logan's system needed replacing before it integrated with Billings Clinic.

"We have had that on our replacement list for the last five years ... and then the [electronic health records] decision was an analysis of the system we're using, another third-party system, and the Oracle health system. And based on an evaluation of clinical needs, clinician input, physician input, nursing input, cost and then scalability," Abel said. "So, they're all being kind of done from a 'what's the best option?' standpoint."

Logan Health officials told the Daily Inter Lake in June that their IT teams are staying vigilant against cyber security threats with regular risk assessments, employee training, multi-level defense system, device management, incident response planning, backup systems and other safety measures.

The hospital suffered two data breaches in the last several years, including one in 2019 that led to a $4.2 million settlement and another in 2021 which affected 213,000 Logan Health patients and led to a settlement of $4.3 million.

The electronic health records platform switch is the latest in ongoing integration efforts between Billings Clinic and Logan Health, which officially became one health care system in September 2023.