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Lincoln approves five-year contract with Patagonia Health to replace clinic electronic health record
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Summary
The City of Lincoln voted to award a five-year EHR replacement contract to Patagonia Health Inc., funded partly by reappropriated city funds and contingent on a pending federal grant decision.
The Lincoln City Council on Jan. 6 approved a five-year contract with Patagonia Health Inc. to replace the public health clinic's electronic health record system, with an option for five additional one-year renewals.
City Health Director Kerner told the council the current system, identified in the meeting as "Entergy," has been in use since 2019 but is structured more like a medical-model EHR and has presented difficulties for the clinic’s expanding public-health functions and data reporting needs. Kerner said Patagonia’s system is designed for public health clinics and will better integrate services such as STI care, refugee health, immunizations and laboratory workflows.
Kerner said the city will use reappropriated funds to buy hardware (computers and laptops) needed for the system. He told the council that savings from the existing system — described in the meeting as about $94,000 per month — will cover the software and service costs. Kerner also said the city submitted an application to the National Association of County and City Health Officials for a Data Transformation grant that, if awarded, would provide $750,000 and could extend the contract by an additional two to three years; he expected to hear on that application by the end of the week.
Council members asked no substantive questions during the presentation. The council voted in favor of the contract; roll-call votes showed unanimous approval.
The vote authorizes contract execution for a five-year term with options to renew annually for up to five additional years. The contract was introduced by Councilor Weber and carried on a unanimous vote recorded as 5-0.
The approval moves the clinic toward a single integrated system for patient portals, lab access and appointment scheduling; Kerner said patients will be able to view lab results, schedule and reschedule appointments, and use the portal once the system is in place.
Council records show staff will proceed with contract execution and implementation planning. The council did not specify the exact annual software cost in the meeting record; the source of computers and technical hardware was described as reappropriated city funds, and the grant outcome remains pending.
