WHEELING - Wheeling Hospital plans to move to a near paperless, $20.9 million method of record keeping that is expected to improve patient care.

The hospital's board of directors on Wednesday approved a resolution to proceed with plans to implement a new electronic clinical information system.

Details of the system were discussed during a closed-door session. Hospital spokesman Gregg Warren said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Angelo Georges also gave his report during the executive session. A quality report also was given, Warren said.

Details of Georges' report and the quality report were not made available after the regular meeting.

Warren said under West Virginia open meeting laws, some items discussed during the executive session - such as the quality report and Georges' report - if disclosed in public could hinder the hospital's ability to remain competitive.

After the meeting, Chief Information Officer David Rapp said the hospital worked for the past two years on choosing a clinical information system. It analyzed offerings from 12 different companies before settling on Eclipsys.

The new system will allow doctors and nurses to input patient information directly into a computer instead of writing it on paper charts, Rapp said.

"It's the same system being used at Johns Hopkins Hospital," Rapp noted of the Baltimore, Md., facility.

Hundreds of portable computers will be used. Each will have handle, but they also can be attached to a rolling station.

The system will be installed in three phases during the next three years. Employees will be trained by Eclipsys officials.

"We'll be training about 1,000 people. ... It will be three months before it kicks off," Rapp said.

The West Virginia Health Care Authority issued the hospital a certificate of need for the system in August.

In other matters, Chief Financial Officer Jim Murdy said according to unaudited financial numbers for fiscal 2008, the hospital corporation has made an $11.8 million profit. In fiscal 2007, an $11.6 million profit was posted.

"If you look around our region ... hospitals have had a lot of problems lately and large losses. (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) had to lay off 500 people. ... We had a good year," Murdy said.

He noted fiscal 2008 finances are scheduled to be audited beginning Monday. And the audit report should be published in December or January.

The hospital corporation includes Wheeling Hospital, the continuous care center, physician practice division, Belmont Community Hospital and Mountaineer Freedom RRG, MP Foundation and Wheeling Pediatrics.

Murdy said the corporation's $68 million investment portfolio, which are funds separate from the operating budget, have suffered lately because of the stock crash on Wall Street. He noted the corporation plans to listen to its money managers and "stay the course."

The board also recognized two new members - former Wheeling Mayor Nick Sparachane and Ohio County Sheriff Tom Burgoyne.