Indian Health Service Launches New Electronic Health Record System in Oklahoma

The Indian Health Service (IHS) has launched a new electronic health record system at three health care facilities in Oklahoma, marking the first implementation of PATH EHR under the agency’s Health Information Technology Modernization Program.

The system went live Sept. 26 at Lawton Indian Hospital, Anadarko Indian Health Center and Carnegie Indian Health Center. The Lawton Service Unit is the first IHS site to transition to PATH EHR and will serve as a pilot to evaluate its functionality, usability and compatibility in a real-world health care setting before the system is deployed more broadly.

“The launch of PATH EHR at the Lawton Service Unit is an important step toward building a more modern, connected health information environment at the IHS,” said IHS Chief Information Officer Mitchell Thornbrugh. “The implementation at Lawton will help shape future deployments, strengthen implementation and support processes, and build an approach that can adapt to the needs of sites and communities across Indian Country.”

During the transition, IHS has provided on-site, hands-on support to help staff navigate the new system, answer questions and resolve technical issues. The agency is also using staff feedback to update training materials, guidance and other resources to ease the transition to new workflows and features.

All clinical services, including emergency room, ambulatory, surgical and inpatient admissions, have continued during the implementation. The experience is providing IHS with early insight into how PATH EHR performs in a functioning health care environment.

Staff report positive early experiences

Early feedback from Lawton Service Unit staff has highlighted several features intended to streamline daily clinical work.

A pharmacist said that “PATH EHR centralizes everything in one area and interconnects the workflows,” while supervisors have reported that staff are becoming increasingly comfortable with the system.

A nurse noted that “PATH EHR’s activity timeline helps me stay on track,” and providers have highlighted the usefulness of system reminders.

Clinical staff have also successfully used tools such as the Clinical AI Agent and PowerChart Touch Camera Capture, reporting positive experiences with how the capabilities support their workflows.

Patient portal expands access to health information

Patient engagement has also grown following the launch of the PATH Patient Portal, which provides patients with another way to access and interact with their health information.

During the portal’s first week, more than 2,900 reminders were sent to patients, and patients requested refills for more than 800 medications.

The system has also demonstrated its ability to exchange information with other health care providers and public health systems.

PATH EHR has successfully exchanged immunization information with the Oklahoma State Immunization Registry, including submitting immunization reports and retrieving registry information. Tribal and private-sector providers are also successfully sending electronic prescriptions to the Lawton Pharmacy.

These connections are intended to support information sharing and improve coordination of care across health care settings.

Pilot will inform future deployments

As implementation continues, IHS will gather additional feedback and identify opportunities to improve workflows and system support. Lessons learned at the Lawton Service Unit will help guide future PATH EHR deployments across the IHS.

The launch represents a collaborative effort involving Lawton Service Unit staff, the IHS Oklahoma City Area Office and personnel from IHS headquarters and field offices.

Key contractor partners include General Dynamics Information Technology, which provides integration services; Oracle Health, which supplies the electronic health record product suite; Kadiak, which supports the Program Management Office; and Totem, which provides organizational change management support.

IHS said these partners have been essential to the implementation milestone as the agency works to modernize its health information technology infrastructure and support the communities it serves.