Einstein Philadelphia Pioneers Use of Technology to Ease Stress of Medical Emergencies

First in Region to Offer “The ER That Already Knows You” Through Safe, Secure, and Free Pre-Registration

Philadelphia, PA, March 20, 2007 ─ In an emergency, no one wants to be burdened with filling out forms or answering administrative questions. The ideal situation would be to visit an emergency room where they already know you, even if you’d never been there before. Imagine how much easier going to the ER would be if all of your relevant information ─ name, primary care physician, insurance information ─ was there ahead of time.

Starting this week, the Einstein at Elkins Park division of the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network is offering Emergency Room Pre-registration to residents of Elkins Park, Northeast Philadelphia and the surrounding Philadelphia communities. The Einstein ER Pre-registration program is one of the only such programs in the nation, and the only program in the eight-county Philadelphia region.

Registration in the program is fast, secure and free. Area residents simply call 1-800-EINSTEIN or visit www.einstein.edu/prereg where they will voluntarily provide as much relevant information (name, primary care physician, insurance information, etc.) as they want about themselves and any family members they wish to enroll. Einstein logs this information and sends them special ID tags that can be carried in their wallet or on a key chain. If they ever have a need to visit the Elkins Park ER, the card is scanned and their information automatically entered, saving the patient valuable time and avoiding extra paperwork in an actual emergency.

Patient information is 100 percent secure, because the ID cards contain no personal information and can only be scanned at the Einstein at Elkins Park Emergency Department. If the ID tag is every lost, the participant need only call Einstein for a replacement.

“We are very pleased to be introducing this new service as part of the exceptional care offered at this full-service hospital,” said Ruth Lefton, Chief Operating Officer, Einstein at Elkins Park. “We can now offer faster care in our emergency department, which is staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians, highly skilled emergency nurses and key specialists on call.”

Einstein is piloting this program at Elkins Park. If the community responds, it will be extended to the other emergency rooms and physician practices in the Einstein Network.

For more information and to pre-register, visit www.einstein.edu/prereg.

About Albert Einstein Healthcare Network

Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, is a 1,200 bed integrated delivery network serving the communities of North Philadelphia and Montgomery County, PA. A founding member of the Jefferson Health System, Einstein combines the best of academic medicine and community service, employing nearly 7,000 people, and offering training programs for physician residents and fellows, nurses and other health professionals. The Network provides healthcare services through the Albert Einstein Medical Center and Einstein at Elkins Park hospitals, its MossRehab and Belmont Behavioral Health divisions, Germantown Community Health Services, Willow Terrace (a nursing home), Willowcrest (a center for subacute care), outpatient facilities such as Center One and Einstein Neighborhood Healthcare, network of primary care and specialist practices throughout the community. For more information, visit www.einstein.edu or call 1-800-EINSTEIN.

CONTACT: Rodney Yancey
Manager, Corporate Communications
215-456-3922
yanceyr@einstein.edu

Publish date: March 20, 2007