Contact:
Jennifer Miller/Elizabeth Goodsitt (608) 266-1683
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) today announced the selection of Cerner as the supplier of its electronic health records system for its seven care and treatment facilities, which serve people living with psychiatric disorders and intellectual disabilities.
“This is an investment in more coordinated, efficient services,” said DHS Secretary Linda Seemeyer. “This system is designed to enhance the health and safety of patients and residents and improve staff productivity. A state-of-the-art electronic health records system also will help us attract and retain staff.”
The 10-year, $33 million contract calls for the implementation of an electronic health records system for Central Wisconsin Center (CWC) in Madison, Mendota Mental Health Institute (MMHI) in Madison, Northern Wisconsin Center (NWC) in Chippewa Falls, Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center (SRSTC) in Mauston, Southern Wisconsin Center (SWC) in Union Grove, Winnebago Mental Health Institute (WMHI) in Winnebago, and the Wisconsin Resource Center (WRC) in Winnebago.
Winnebago Mental Health Institute will be the first facility to go-live with the new system in 2018. The other six facilities will come online in phases, with all the facilities expected to be using the system by the end of 2019.
The contract signing follows months of work by program area experts at the facilities and DHS headquarters to identify requirements for the electronic health records system. A request for proposals was issued in July 2016, with submissions due in October 2016. Five vendors submitted proposals. Three product demonstrations were held in December 2016. DHS began contract negotiations with Cerner in February 2017.
Cerner is a global leader in health care technology headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Its technologies are used at more than 25,000 public and private facilities worldwide.
DHS has created an Office of Electronic Health Records Systems Management to oversee this project and ongoing maintenance of the Cerner solutions and services.
Governor Scott Walker and the state Legislature appropriated funding for this project in the 2013-15 biennial budget.
