As a world-class academic and health care system, Duke Medicine strives to transform medicine and health locally and globally through innovative scientific research, rapid translation of breakthrough discoveries, educating future clinical and scientific leaders, advocating and practicing evidence-based medicine to improve community health, and leading efforts to eliminate health inequalities (Duke Medicine Mission Statement 2006).

In 1999 there was no greater challenge than accessing clinical information across the broad continuum of obstetrical care in a health department high risk referral area known as Area K.  North Carolina is divided in regions and subdivided into areas for outreach education based on tertiary referral patterns.  Duke Health System supports Area K, which encompasses Franklin, Person, Warren and Durham County Health Departments.  Duke Health System in 2007 had 5500 deliveries.  Approximately 33% of these individuals received their prenatal care in the health department setting.  The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology partners with the local health departments to provide quality obstetrical care by placing physicians and midwives in the local health departments.  Patient care records were in paper format due to lack of technical and financial resources within the health department.

Duke University Health System, as part of their commitment to community outreach services, invested over$ 3 million in the purchase, design and ongoing support of an electronic perinatal information system.  This system is currently used in all inpatient, outpatient and health department settings thus supporting the continuance of care.  This electronic perinatal information system helps us enhance the alignment and integration of all obstetrical services, defining a common platform for documentation and communication of pertinent patient information.

Network and implementation design has eliminated the risk of losing protected health information, reduced delays in obtaining patient information and enhanced patient safety and quality of care.  In addition this system has streamlined our documentation while ensuring our compliance with state and regulatory guidelines

At Duke we continue to respond to many rapid and dramatic changes in the field of obstetrics and health care in general.  We will continue to develop new approaches and embrace innovative technologies while partnering with our local health departments to continue to provide highest quality and safe patient care.