From Northern Montana Health Care
Northern Montana Health Care recently hosted a peer group meeting for users of medical software, giving participants the opportunity to learn, collaborate and share ideas about the electronic medical records software used by NMHC.
NMHC Director of Information Systems Garrit Ophus said the peer group meeting, and the software exchange it is part of, is a valuable resource.
“It’s a very active community,” he said.
Ophus said MUSE (Medical Users Software Exchange) hosts a national conference each year, along with regional peer group meetings.
Ophus was also recently selected to serve a three-year term on the national MUSE Board of Directors (MUSE International), with his term running through Dec. 31, 2028.
This is the second consecutive year NMHC has hosted the Big Sky Community Peer Group regional meeting. Ophus noted that the Great Falls Clinic joined MUSE after attending last year’s Big Sky Community Peer Group meeting in Havre.
MUSE began when users of the MEDITECH electronic medical records system, which NMHC has used since 1996, started connecting with one another to discuss challenges, share solutions and collaborate on ways to make the most of the system.
“Just a place that everybody could talk out common issues, because what we’re dealing with in Montana they’re also dealing with in California, New York, Texas, all the other states.”
The July 24 peer group meeting at NMHC included representatives from MEDITECH, several vendor partners, and health care organizations from across the region, including participants from Idaho and Tennessee.
Ophus added that attendees also had the opportunity to spend some time in Havre, dining at local restaurants, shopping, visiting Havre Beneath the Streets and experiencing the community.
In addition to the annual conference and regional meetings, MUSE offers an active online community where members ask questions, share solutions and exchange ideas. Ophus said NMHC has benefited from the knowledge shared by other organizations and has also been able to provide assistance by answering questions from fellow members.
The regional peer group meetings also provide valuable opportunities for collaboration and networking, he said.
“It’s a valuable community to be a part of,” Ophus said. “It provides a lot of value for our organizations through community postings, events and the different connections we’ve made.”