Why Fort Wayne?

Exactly why Fort Wayne area physicians have adopted EHR technology in the ambulatory setting is anyone's guess. About the only thing local health care executives agree on is that they have - in spades. By most estimates, well over half the area's physicians have deployed electronic charts in their clinics. Here are a few factors that area experts cite when discussing the unusual trend:

* Strong vendor presence. EHR software vendor, Medical Informatics Engineering, is headquartered in Fort Wayne, giving it a foothold in the community. Hospital CIOs and others credit the vendor with facilitating EHR adoption, in part by sponsoring a community-wide data repository for the underserved.

* Competitive culture. The two leading health systems, Parkview Health and Lutheran Health Network, compete fiercely for patient and physician loyalty. Both hospitals have embraced clinical I.T. in their inpatient operations and are looking for ways to bring community physicians into the digital fold.

* Infrastructure. The community enjoys a high-speed fiber optics network that was put in by GTE (later bought by Verizon) in the 1990s.

* Executive support. Local physicians have championed the use of both medical and information technology. They're not afraid to challenge the status quo, either at their own practices or local hospitals. That makes it easier for health system executives and others to support innovation.

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