New York, NY (May 2, 2007) – CureMD, the leader in Internet-based health information technology, announced today that the Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) has partnered with it to develop a first-of-its-kind Foster Care Electronic Medical Records solution.

WIHD is one of the leading University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD) in the United States of America, serving as a unique resource in the areas of disability and human development. The institute addresses the needs of the community through professional education programs, technical assistance, research and dissemination of information, while providing health and human services to children and adults. The WIHD Family Program collaborates closely with the Westchester County Department of Social Services to meet the Child Welfare goals of Permanency, Safety and Child Well being. Working in partnership with families, WIHD offers a range of services to support children and families through its Comprehensive Family Program.

To address problems related to the healthcare of children in foster care, WIHD requires detailed information about health status, healthcare utilization and Medicaid expenditures. Children in foster care are more likely than other groups of Medicaid children to have a mental health or substance abuse condition, either alone or in combination with a physical condition, and many do not receive routine checkups despite recommendations for an annual physical and mental health assessment, availability of complete and accurate behavioral and healthcare history is essential for WIHD for quality care delivery.

No EMR System existed that provided detailed information on the social as well as clinical aspects, needs and workflows as required by WIHD. CureMD conducted a detailed utilization pattern, workflow and integration requirements analysis to map the unique blend of services offered by WIHD into CureMD Electronic Medical Records (EMR), while complying with industry standards set by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Analysis of this complex mesh of requirements gave birth to a fully integrated, web-based EMR System, specifically designed to provide accurate care delivery information while minimizing care variation. The system is capable of documenting individual patient encounters along with group counseling services, while automatically calculating and generating patient bills based on the type of services provided and the various state government rules applicable to the calculation of these bills. The system will help WIHD generate additional revenues while reducing administrative and billing overheads by streamlining care delivery processes and optimizing workflows.

This system is a first of its kind and is truly an example of how the use of EMR systems can ensure the delivery of quality care while streamlining processes, optimizing productivity and maximizing revenues. This system is destined to become the benchmark for all future pursuits in the field of EMR Systems designed specifically for foster care organizations.