Elevate Your Health Colorado EMR delivers for one Ob/Gyn patient

In April 2008, Ali Dunfee and her husband, Neal, welcomed into the world a healthy 6-pound, 13-ounce bundle of joy. But the journey leading up to their daughter’s birth was not without challenges. For roughly two years, the couple struggled through the trials and tribulations that sometimes accompany starting a family after age 35.

Dunfee, 38, faced challenges with infertility. After working with her primary care physician and a fertility specialist at Kaiser Permanente Colorado, she became pregnant, but later miscarried. Only after a second round of fertility treatments did she became pregnant with her daughter.

Through it all, Dunfee stayed connected with her team of physicians at Kaiser Permanente using the organization’s electronic medical record system (EMR). Using the electronic medical record system,Dunfee was able to access her medical records, check test results, schedule appointments, order prescriptions and e-mail her Ob/Gyn, Jeffrey A. Kerr-Layton, MD, with questions and concerns. Dunfee says the access helped her maintain a positive frame of mind.

“Once I was referred to a specialist, Dr. Kerr-Layton did not lose any interest in our case,” Dunfee explains. “He was constantly checking in and sending e-mails asking how I was doing and telling me not to lose hope and faith.”

Personalized care
Dunfee’s path toward pregnancy was complicated by ovulation challenges. Kaiser Permanente’s electronic medical record system simplified the fertility treatment process by allowing her to conveniently access her medical team, and view her appointment history, prescriptions and treatment plan.

The electronic medical record system also kept Ob/Gyn Dr. Kerr-Layton in the loop. Each time Dunfee visited her fertility specialist, Dr. Kerr-Layton got an electronic summary of the visit, allowing him to track Dunfee’s treatment plan and progress. He then would send encouragement through e-mail messages.

“Throughout everything, Dr. Kerr-Layton was great about staying in touch, especially online,” Dunfee recalls. “[The electronic medical record system] was a good way for him to keep checking in to make sure we were doing well and that everything was on track.”

The motivating and optimistic e-mails from Dr. Kerr-Layton were just the thing Dunfee needed to keep a positive frame of mind — a factor she believes contributed to her success in becoming pregnant.

Open lines of communication
Although Dr. Kerr Layton was not directly involved in Dunfee’s delivery, he was notified through Kaiser Permanente’s electronic medical record system about the birth, and visited Dunfee and daughter, Samantha, shortly thereafter.

In the weeks and months following Samantha’s delivery, Dunfee and Dr. Kerr-Layton kept the lines of communication open. “It was really handy because so much goes on with a newborn, and I work full-time, so it’s difficult to play phone tag,” Dunfee explains. “There were so many times when I would send him an e-mail with my concerns as a new mom, and by the end of the day I had an answer. It was really helpful.”

When Dunfee reflects on her experiences at Kaiser Permanente, she’s thankful for the convenient, personalized quality of care, simplified by the electronic medical record system. “Samantha is an amazing gift,” she says. “I really feel that Dr. Kerr-Layton was a huge part of it. Looking back, I’m sogreatful that I had the doctors that I had. We are very lucky.”

To see more of Ali's inspiring story, click here.

For more information on My Health Manager, visit kp.org/myhealthmanager.