SSM Health goes live with Surescripts National Record Locator Services

Superscripts recently announced that SSM Health is the first health system to go live with the National Record Locator Services (NRLS).

NRLS allows more than 10,000 SSM Health clinicians to locate patient records in real-time. SSM Health, based in St. Louis, covers Illinois, Missouri and Oklahoma.

“Now more than ever, it is crucial for health care providers and organizations such as SSM Health to be armed with critical patient information at the point of care,” Surescripts CEO Tom Skelton said. “Our National Record Locator Service is breaking down the barriers to truly connecting health care, by sharing valuable, life-saving information in real-time.”

When a patient arrives at a SSM Health facility, the physician or other health care provider will be able to access the patient's electronic records from in or outside of the SSM Health system. With full information on previous health care visits and medical conditions, the physician can assist the patient with appropriate treatments and medications.

“When a patient arrives in one of our emergency departments, urgent care clinics or physician’s offices, Surescripts National Record Locator Service enables the care team to access valuable clinical information from other providers who have previously treated the patient, regardless of where they received care or the electronic health record software used,” SSM Health Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Richard Vaughn said. “By having a more complete care history, we can make faster and better decisions, avoid reordering expensive tests and help ensure that our patients receive the best care possible.”