The Washington, D.C.-based Children's National Health System and Kansas City, Mo.-based health IT vendor Cerner Corporation have announced the formation of The Bear Institute, a joint effort that will be the first exclusively pediatric health informatics institute in the nation, according to the organizations.
The Bear Institute is a seven-year agreement that will aim to advance evidence-based pediatric care delivery, research, and education through innovation in electronic health IT. The Institute’s goals are to accelerate the development of fully-integrated electronic health records (EHRs), accessible to care providers, patients and families, healthcare facilities, educators, and researchers within, and affiliated with, Children's National.
The Institute also will facilitate the development of health IT capabilities including: linking genomic profiles to decision support for personalized health care; matching patient information with a database of open clinical trials for research opportunities; and more nimble patient and family engagement with their health through secure web-enabled portals and mobile devices.
"If we are to achieve healthier societies, we will need innovation in two critical areas: information technology and the health and well-being of children. As information technology becomes more central to delivering world-class care, we see an opportunity to lead IT practice for children's health," Kurt Newman, president and CEO, Children's National, said in a statement. "We share this vision with Cerner, and that shared vision was the determining factor in the selection of Children's National to be the partner for the Bear Institute. Together, we will serve as innovators for children and families."
The Bear Institute will amplify Cerner's role with Children's National, with the assumption of operational and administrative responsibilities for Children's National information technology via its Cerner Millennium solutions and services, including remote hosting, monitoring and system performance capabilities, including data protection. Additionally, the current Children's National IT team will become Bear Institute/Cerner associates, offering career development, training, and advancement within the company.
