WASHINGTON – The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill, legislation that includes $500,000 in funding secured by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker for the King’s Daughters Regional Medical Center in Brookhaven.   

The funds are designated for the construction of an electronic medical records system in order to provide greater patient safety and increased patient privacy.            

“These funds will serve as the cornerstone of medical technology at King’s Daughter Regional Medical Center,” Sen. Wicker said.  “This $500,000 will provide a common database for area physicians that will provide them access to additional information and greater health care for the citizens of Brookhaven.  I look forward to working with Sen. Cochran to ensure this important funding is advanced as this bill moves through the remainder of the legislative process.” 

Alvin Hoover, CEO of King's Daughters Medical Center, was delighted to hear the news from Senator Wicker's office.  "Our entire organization, including the board and the medical staff, really appreciate the work Senator Wicker did to obtain this funding to assist our efforts to implement an electronic medical records system,” Hoover said.  “Electronic medical records will improve the quality of care provided to our patients by making patient information readily accessible to physicians and other health care providers. We recognize the senator's help was critical in our project being selected."

The 2009 Labor-HHS appropriations bill has cleared the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension committee and now awaits consideration by the full Senate.  

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