Community Enrichment Grant Awarded by Sisters of Charity Foundation

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Aug. 20, 2013 - PRLog -- Beginning in 2014, all providers billing Medicaid and/or Medicare must use electronic health records or receive penalties in their reimbursement rates. MIRCI provides housing and behavioral healthcare services to individuals and families with children who have serious and persistent mental illness. Well over half of MIRCI’s clients have insurance through Medicaid and/or Medicare and the penalties for not converting to electronic health records would negatively impact the ability to assist the clients.

“MIRCI is excited to have the opportunity to partner with the Sisters of Charity Foundation to make the conversion to Electronic Health Records.  This conversion will make MIRCI’s ability to provide not only behavioral healthcare for our patients more effectively, but also to coordinate with primary healthcare providers to insure continuity of care for those we serve.”  said Julie Ann Avin, Executive Director of MIRCI.

MIRCI works closely with local hospital systems in treating individuals with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. MIRCI will be partnering with Palmetto Health as an ambulatory care clinic and, through this partnership, will join the health exchange which already includes all Palmetto Health hospitals and providers and Doctor’s Care locations. Upgrading to electronic health records will not only satisfy the requirement for Medicaid/Medicare, but it will also allow for more detailed and timely exchange of patient information for treatment of those served by MIRCI; resulting in a higher level of patient care.

MIRCI – the Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc. (www.mirci.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that assists individuals with mental illness to recover in the areas of their lives impacted by their illness through housing, behavioral healthcare, and assistance with obtaining and managing their disability income.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, established in 1996, is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.  The foundation is committed to addressing the needs of the poor and underserved in all 46 South Carolina counties, and strategically uses resources to reduce poverty through action, advocacy and leadership.  (sistersofcharitysc.com)