Burlington hospital expansion includes buying a $160 million EHR System

Bolstered by a $130 million tax-exempt bond awarded by the state, Lahey Health plans to spend over $170 million on its hospital facilities, with a new $162 million electronic medical records system as the centerpiece. Dr. Howard Grant, Lahey Health’s chief executive officer, ...said the new electronic medical records system would benefit both patients and staff. The system will allow patients to schedule appointments, review test results, and contact their doctors directly by e-mail.

“We’re going to have one integrated tool which does the whole thing. So that the electronic record will be there, the results will be there, and billing, scheduling, registration will all part of the same system,” said Grant. Tim O’Connor, Lahey’s chief financial officer, said over 250,000 patients will be able to access the system when it’s completed in 30 months. O’Connor said the system will link over 2,000 doctors, nurses, and other caregivers across Eastern Massachusetts in real time...