Capraro Technologies Inc. of Utica is providing students in SUNYIT's health information management program with free access to "Open Electronic Medical Records (EMR)," an open source computer application.

"We're grateful to Capraro Technologies for their support," said Wolf Yeigh, president of SUNYIT. "Thanks to their partnership, this kind of 'real-world' practice for our students ensures that their education in this critical field employs the best new uses of technology."

While the program runs on its own virtual machine at Capraro Technologies, students are able to log in to the application and do practice exercises using fictitious patient data. Students also practice writing instructional materials for physicians, nurses, and office staff who would be using the application. The Open EMR is intended for use in ambulatory care settings such as physician offices.

"Electronic records have been shown to improve the quality and efficiency of care by reducing medical errors, and they also promote communication between multiple health care providers who are all caring for the same patient," said Donna Silsbee, associate professor of health information management. "Ultimately, the goal is to have electronic health records that will provide a lifetime view of the patient's medical issues and all preventive care such as vaccinations and screenings."

Founded in 1993, Utica-based Capraro Technologies offers a wide range of information technology support and services for commercial and government clients, including the medical community. More information is available at http://cnybit.com.

SUNYIT's bachelor of science in health information management program focuses on the latest information management technology applications, and graduates are prepared to understand the workflow in any healthcare provider organization from large hospital systems to the private physician practice. For more information, visit sunyit.edu/undergraduate/him.