WATERTOWN, Mass., November 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – athenahealth, a leading provider of network-enabled software and services for medical groups and health systems nationwide, today released the latest installment of “Thriving on the Frontlines: Stories of Resilience and Resolve.” This story features Dr. Stephany Godfrey, a family physician, and Mark Scheyer, chief operating officer, both of Steward Medical Group, the largest physician-owned and operated health system in the U.S., as the organization manages the pandemic and continues to prioritize quality patient care by optimizing its operational processes. The narrative emphasizes how connected technology streamlines providers’ workflows, improving the connection between patients and providers and driving accessible and sustainable healthcare for the broader communities Steward serves.

Committed to ensuring every patient receives the most comprehensive care at an affordable cost, Steward Medical Group works closely with strategic partners, including athenahealth, to treat the complete patient in the right place at the right time. By leveraging athenahealth’s connected technology, Steward’s physicians are able to document quickly and easily, and focus on building connections with patients through more dedicated face-to-face time with them. Prioritizing this two-way engagement has never been more important than during a pandemic that has built physical barriers and social isolation within the healthcare ecosystem.

“At Steward, we talk a lot about practice optimization and figuring out how we can take work off of our providers’ plates, decrease their documentation time, and improve their work-life balance. Ultimately it comes down to time and resources and it’s critical that our resources are stable and responsive, since they have an extraordinary impact not only on our providers, but also on our patients and the communities we serve,” said Mark Scheyer, chief operating officer, Steward Medical Group. “athenahealth has enabled our providers and leaders to do their work quickly and nimbly, without sacrificing quality, and has brought joy back to our providers whose top priority is to connect with and care for as many patients as possible, especially during what has proven to be a tough year for the world.”

Since Steward transitioned all of its practices to athenahealth’s EHR platform prior to the onset of COVID-19, the group was prepared and able to optimize its clinical and financial performance during the pandemic. athenahealth’s cloud-based solution enables the group to easily access valuable real-time insights into its 433 ambulatory practices across 11 states, including the percentage of visits based on new patient volume and the percentage of telehealth visits, which has been critical to track during the pandemic.

“Among its many impacts, COVID-19 has further disconnected an already fragmented and fragile healthcare system, and the technology choices that large enterprises like Steward make can either integrate or isolate critical patient data, which can have a large impact on entire communities. It’s especially important during this time, that practioners are able to provide the care that they need to provide, and to do it quickly and nimbly,” said Bob Segert, chairman and chief executive officer, athenahealth. “Steward is a strong example of a healthcare organization that is well positioned to manage through this pandemic. They have the right infrastructure in place to deliver the key insights they need about their business performance and to enhance the patient-provider connection.”

“Thriving on the Frontlines” provides an intimate look at how some of athenahealth’s customers are navigating the uncharted territory of delivering high-quality care in a COVID-19 world. The first three episodes, “Built for This,” “The Full Picture,” and “Seeing Something Bigger,” feature physicians and their staff from practices in Texas and Alabama. The final episode will feature a master cut of the four customer episodes and insights from athenahealth leaders, who work each day to create a thriving ecosystem of hope and healing for all.

For more information and to view the “Thriving on the Frontlines” miniseries, please visit: https://www.athenahealth.com/customer-stories-miniseries.

About athenahealth, Inc.

athenahealth partners with medical organizations across the country to drive clinical and financial results. Our vision is to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all, and we are pursuing this through our medical record, revenue cycle, patient engagement, and care coordination service offerings. Our expert teams build modern technology on an open, connected ecosystem, yielding insights that make a difference for our customers and their patients. For more information, please visit www.athenahealth.com.

Contact:

Jean Borgman
media@athenahealth.com
617-402-1031

PRESS RELEASENovember 10, 2020

Steward Medical Group Improves Patient-Provider Connection and Access to Care Leveraging athenahealth’s Integrated Solutions