A subsidiary of the Hawaii Independent Physicians Association has won a contract to provide install and provide training for electronic medical records systems for a group of physicians practicing in and around Waimea on the Big Island.

The eQuality Healthcare Information for Physicians unit of the association said it won the contract over two other providers and will install the system over the next 12 to 18 months for 45 to 50 physicians and other providers.

It will allow doctors to transition from paper records and to exchange medical information with other doctors. It also let patients view their records online as well as interact with doctors over the Internet.

Bill Donahue, executive director of the Hawaii Independent Physicians Association and manager of the eQHIP unit, said the systems using eClinical Works software should be beneficial to the physicians who are participating.

"It's going to be a whole community that's going to be wired," said Donahue, noting it should result in more timely, effective and less costly care for patients.