MADISON — Madison Area Health Center recently received $10,000 from the Skowhegan Savings Charitable Foundation. The funds will be used to help purchase and install a generator to back-up patient Electronic Medical Records. The generator will assure the ability to offer uninterrupted healthcare in the event of a power emergency.

Jack Ducharme, AVP regional branch manager and Dan Tilton, SVP of sales and customer service, were on hand at the health center to present a check to Connie Coggins, president and CEO of HealthReach Community Health Centers and Colleen Cyr, practice manager at the health center.

HealthReach Community Health Centers began implementing an EMR system across their network of 11 practices, including Madison, in July 2007. The advantage of EMR is improved care for health center patients. EMR technology gives medical providers better access to patient data and charts. Patients are able to connect with their medical team and access their personal healthcare information through a secure portal. The EMR system electronically prescribes medications directly to pharmacies, and includes new care management tools such as patient educational materials and the ability to create graphs and charts to track and analyze data. EMR improves the ability to increase patient participation in chronic disease self-management, as well as in routine care. All of these benefits add up to more efficient, improved care for patients.

Skowhegan Savings’ Charitable Foundation makes donations to both large and small local nonprofit charitable organizations with a focus on financial literacy, economic and community development initiatives that promote job creation, business retention, business growth, and community enhancement.

Madison Area Health Center is part of HealthReach Community Health Centers, a group of 11 Federally Qualified Health Centers in Central and Western Maine. Dedicated providers deliver high quality medical and behavioral health care to citizens in more than 80 rural communities. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare and major insurances. In addition, an Affordable Care Program is available to uninsured and underinsured residents as well as assistance with applications for programs that help with the cost of health care and medications including the Health Insurance Marketplace. A private, nonprofit with a 41-year history, HealthReach is funded by patient fees, grants and individual donations.