History of theDevelopment of the Computer

System Known Today as PH Doc

25TH Anniversary

This is dedicated to the spirit of the 14 Professional Associates who took a risk to try something new, were entrepreneurial and worked together to produce a product that has been the foundation for the PH Doc System we have today.

Here’s to the professional friendships that were formed which brings us joy when we think about our shared memories and experiences together.

Mary Ann Blade

• Prior to 1980, each county had to turn data into the State to identify visits, clients, diagnoses, etc. The State then produced aggregate reports for each county.

• Between 1980 and 1982, the State Department of Health announced the discontinuation of the State entering the data to produce reports for each county as well as the State.

History of the PH Doc System

• Each county had to figure a way to produce these reports in their own counties. At this time counties were just purchasing hardware computer systems for their departments. At that time the IBM 34 then IBM 36 were being purchased.

• There was a state evaluation task force formed and five pilot programs were initiated around the State. None of those projects, except for the manual data collection system, was anticipated to be finished and ready to go. Stearns County had a computerized pilot but they didn’t believe anything would be available.

• Morrison County’s Public Health Department, under the leadership of Mary Ann Blade, contracted with a company out of St. Cloud called CCSI, or Computer Concepts to give guidance to produce a software system for Public Heath.

• Deb Castallanos was the Chief Programmer. Mary Ann Blade identified the parameters for the General Design and also wrote the IISAC Grant for base funding of $15,000

• Jim Benson was the contract manager for CCSI

• CCSI became BRC who became ACS

John Melville Mike Bauer

Here is a list of the ACS (formerly CCSI, formerly BRC) people that have worked on the project over the years: Jim Benson, Deb Castellanos, Mary Thompson, Brian Prom, Tanya Ruth, Sonya Jacobs, Cindy Schmidt, Richard Keyser, Carol Brandenburg, Deb Gretz, Shirley Nelson, Mike Bauer, Jeromy Johnson, Keith Lindberg, and John Melville.

L to R – Deb Castillanos, Tanya Ruth, Brian Prom, John Melville, Mary Thompson

Brian Prom, Mary ThompsonMary Thompson

Deb Gretz

• In April 1983, the general design was complete and a letter was sent by Morrison County to all counties to see who was interested in pooling our money to complete the system

• Morrison County Public Health won an Achievement Award from AMC for their pioneer work with computers.

• Between April and October of 1983, thirteen counties joined together to complete the development of the System. Cass, Todd and Wadena Community Health Services were the first to join.

Original Minnesota Counties

Beltrami County Community Health ServiceBemidji, Minnesota

Virginia Wickstrom, Director ~ currently retired and lives north of Bemidji, Minnesota

Carver County Community Health Services

Waconia, Minnesota

Georgianne Lowrey, Director ~ currently retired and moving to North Carolina

Cass County Public Health Services Walker, Minnesota

Dororthy Opheim, Director ~ currently Director of Cass County Health & Human Services

Chisago County Public Health Nursing Services Center City, Minnesota

Esther Tatley, Director ~ currently retired and lives in Roseville, Minnesota

Freeborn County Nursing Services

Albert Lea, Minnesota

Diane Peaslee, Director ~ currently retired and lives in Omaha, Nebraska and has a quilting business.

Goodhue - Wabasha Community Health Services

Red Wing, Minnesota

Elaine Timmer, Director

NO PHOTO AVAILABLE

Houston County Public Health Services, Caledonia, Minnesota

Donna Herman, Director ~ currently a school nurse

Kandiyohi County Community Health Services

Wilmar, Minnesota

Ruth Myklebust, Director ~ currently retired and lives in Sun City, Arizona

Morrison County Public Health Services

Little Falls, Minnesota

Mary Ann Blade, Director ~ currently CEO of the Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency

Mower County Health Services

Austin, Minnesota

Anna Agerbeck, Director ~ currently retired and lives in Austin, Minnesota

Noble-Rock County Public Health Services

Worthington, Minnesota

Bonnie Frederickson, DirectorCurrently: works on Specialty Public Health Programs for Cottonwood/Jackson

Todd County Public Health Nursing Services

Long Prairie, Minnesota

Guy Peterson, DirectorCurrently: Director of the St. Louis County Health Department

Wadena County Public Health Services

Wadena, Minnesota

Karen Nelson, DirectorCurrently: Director of Wadena County Health Department

Winona County Community Health Services

Winona, Minnesota

Lynn Theurer, DirectorCurrently: Director of Winona County Community Health Services

Memories From DirectorsThat Couldn’t Be Here

“I remember the rides from Wilmar to St. Cloud, those icy roads. We met at least once a month. We had a wonderful fellowship, trying to set up something new and we sort of winged it.”

Ruth Myklebust

Ruth always told me to remember “the computer never makes a mistake, it’s the person putting the input in that makes the mistake” and I never forgot that one.

Kathy Marcus

What I remember the most was a two day session on putting material together. It was 11:15 pm and Mary Ann was still running the meeting. As she looked up, all of us had our heads down and we were so tired. I laugh about it now! We worked so hard.

Anna Agerbeck

“I don’t have any photos or anything like that, just plenty of memories. I was the Director in Todd County in 1981. We were a 4-county CHS agency (Cass-Todd-Wadena-Morrison) and I worked closely with Dorothy Ophiem (still there) – Cass, Mary Ann Blade – Morrison, and Judy Schultz – Wadena – before Karen. MDH notified everyone that they were going to quit collecting data for us and that we all needed to come up with our own system by January 1, 1983. There were no good systems out there, so the move and shaker, Mary Ann Blade, took it upon herself to contact a fledgling computer company (MCCC – an AMC Computer Cooperative) to tell them what we needed.”

Guy Peterson

Other Public Health StaffOther public health staff who worked hard on the project in the early years included:

Beltrami: Lynn Lightfoot Goodhue-Wabasha: Mary LindellMarian Stever

Kandiyohi: Kathy MarcusCarver: Arlene Hellekson

LuAnn Schliep Todd: Diane GoodwinLuba Schultz Julie Krause

Cass: Roxanne Andrews Wadena: Penny HochlerLynne Erickson

Chisago: Susan AndersonWilken: Shirley Larson

Clay: Susie Sieling Winona: Sue Steiner Terri Overbach

• In October 1983, the Chair of MCCC, Tom Reddick arranged and initiated a meeting with the 14 counties to talk about a relationship with MCCC.

• The recommendation was that the administrative tasks of the CHS contract be handled by MCCC.

• Dick Cox was the attorney for MCCC who drew up the contract.

• Joel Oliver was the Executive Director of MCCC.• The first contract between CCSI & MCCC was

done on behalf of the CHS group.

Relationship with MCCC

Content of the Contract• Intent of the Partnership between MCCC and the CHS

group

• The CCSI development schedule and delivery date

• Budget of Costs

Where We Are Today?

• Today the partnership has grown as MCCC and the CHS User Group has developed

• Directors of the CHS Group have worked with– Joel Oliver– Fred Logman– Lisa Meredith

Staff at MCCC

Left Pic: Mike and Darci; Top Pic: Lisa Meredith; Right Pic Mark Anderson

Other Information of Early Development

• Fee to buy in:– $3,500, travel $0.21 per mile– Instruction $25.00/hr, portal to portal– CCSI rates: $40.00/hr – instruction; $25.00/hr

driving time; $0.22/mile and expenses

• In February 1984, Clay & Wilken were the first agencies that joined after the original 14.

First Officers• Mary Ann Blade was the first Chair of the User Group• Elaine Timmer was the first Vice Chair• Lynn Theurer was the first Recording Secretary

• Throughout 1984 all of the systems were installed and training occurred in each county.

• All of the element definitions were completed in 1984-1985 and used by all counties for continuity. This was an extraordinary accomplishment.

• In February 1985, the Rules & Regulations for the CHS user group was written and approved.

• In June 1986, Phase II with Computer Concepts for Automation of Accounts began.

Changes that have taken place in the system:

1984 1986 1994 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2007 2008

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Agencies that have left the System

•Chisago•Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone•Lake County Home Health•Isanti•Nicollet

Current Members – 22

Beltrami MVNACarver Nobles/RockCass OlmstedCity of Bloomington OttertailClay PolkFreeborn RiceGoodhue ToddHouston WabashaKandiyohi WadenaMorrison WilkinMower Winona