HIMSS Analytics announced Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC as the first children's hospital to receive its Stage 7 Award. The hospital will be recognized at the 2010 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in March in Atlanta, Ga. The award represents attainment of the highest level on the EMR Adoption ModelSM (EMRAM). The hospital is renowned for its outstanding clinical services, research programs and medical education.
HIMSS Analytics developed the EMR Adoption Model in 2005 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in the HIMSS AnalyticsTM Database. Tracking their progress in completing eight stages (0-7), hospitals can review the implementation and utilization of information technology applications with the intent of reaching Stage 7, which represents an advanced electronic patient record environment.
Stage 7 hospitals:
- Deliver patient care without the use of paper charts
- Are able to share patient information by sending secure standardized summary record transactions to other care providers
- Use their vast database of clinical information to drive improved care delivery performance, patient safety clinical decision support, and outcomes using business intelligence solutions
- Are best-practice examples of how to implement sophisticated EMR environments that fully engage their clinicians
The validation process that confirms a hospital has reached Stage 7 includes a site visit conducted by an executive from HIMSS Analytics and two current chief information officers to ensure an unbiased evaluation of the Stage 7 environments.
Research is fundamental to the mission of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC with its research programs growing faster since 2000 than any other pediatric hospital in the United States. Now housed on its new campus that opened in May 2009, Children's Hospital offers advanced technology throughout the hospital system with its EMR operating in a fully digital environment. Children's Hospital's clinical workflow design supports the elimination of paper charts at the bedside, on the care units, or in a hospital file room. Staff understand how to use the EMR and are comfortable in their use of technology. The hospital has integrated efforts to provide clinicians will all needed information to see the patient's continuum of care in a single view.
"Being recognized as the first HIMSS Stage 7 pediatric hospital in the nation is a real testament to the dedication and commitment of the physicians and employees of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the UPMC information technology teams. The automation of clinical information across the continuum of care is a highly complex and challenging undertaking that can only be accomplished through outstanding teamwork and we're extremely proud of this achievement," said Christopher Gessner, president, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. "Our investment in a comprehensive electronic health record and full automation leads directly to improvements in patient safety and quality. With the capabilities we now have at our digital campus, we will continue to improve clinical outcomes through the blending of cutting-edge technology and compassionate, family-centered care."
"As more healthcare organizations move toward EMR implementation, the Stage 7 hospitals offer valuable best practices focused on using EMR applications to improve patient safety, clinical outcomes, and patient care delivery efficiency," said Mike Davis, HIMSS Analytics executive vice president. "The accomplishments of Stage 7 hospitals can be reviewed and emulated by other U.S. hospitals striving to implement an interoperable electronic medical record."
About HIMSS Analytics
HIMSS Analytics is a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). The company collects and analyzes healthcare data related to IT processes and environments, products, IS department composition and costs, IS department management metrics, healthcare trends and purchase-related decisions. HIMSS Analytics delivers high quality data and analytical expertise to healthcare delivery organizations, healthcare IT companies, state governments, financial companies, pharmaceutical companies, and consulting firms.
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