SCMG and Graybill Medical to develop PM and EHRs implementation strategies

Sharp Community Medical Group (SCMG) and Graybill Medical Group have signed an Enhanced Partnership Agreement to jointly develop practice management and electronic health records implementation strategies. This long-term business agreement brings together the unique expertise of two of San Diego County's largest independent physician organizations. SCMG, founded in 1989, consists of over 200 primary care physicians and 500 specialists in private practices throughout San Diego while Graybill Medical Group, which celebrated its 75th anniversary this year, represents the largest primary care medical group in San Diego's north county region, with about 150,000 patient visits each year.

According to John Jenrette, MD, CEO of SCMG, combining Graybill Medical Group's practice operations with SCMG's knowledge of independent, private practice creates a stronger organization.

"United," said Jenrette, "we can better support private practice, create new efficient primary care practices, and offer a menu of practice services including items such as billing, electronic health records installation and support, recruitment, staffing services and, in general, tools to make all models of practice successful."

Floyd E. Farley, CEO, of Graybill, added, "we're proud to enter into this Enhanced Partnership Agreement with SCMG. It leverages the strengths of both organizations and, in the end, provides a higher level of services to our patients."

Last year, SCMG became the first IPA (Independent Physician Association) in the nation to roll out an innovative implementation of Allscripts Enterprise Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Practice Management (PM) solution that generates a single medical record for each patient even if seen at different practices by primary and specialist physicians. The system, called SCMG CONNECT, uses a unique architecture to automate and connect clinical and administrative processes for SCMG's 755 physician members and affiliates to better serve the network's more than 146,000 managed care patients.