UC Health Awarded Stage 7 Status By HIMSS
By Megan Williams, contributing writer
University of Cincinnati Medical Center reaches top EMR Adoption Model.
HIMSS has awarded UC Health Stage 7 status according to Advance Healthcare Network. The system received the award along with 167 of its ambulatory practices because of its adoption of paperless medical records.
UC Health will be honored by HIMSS at their 2017 Annual Conference & Exhibition Feb. 19-23, 2017 in Orlando, FL. Recipients of the award (The EMRAM-Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model) make up the top 5 percent of hospitals and systems in the U.S. in the HIMSS Analytics Logic System. Out of the 34,000 ambulatory clinics in HIMSS Analytics Logic, less than 8 percent has received the Stage 7 Award.
According to Jay Brown, UC Health senior VP and CIO, “UC Health is honored to be recognized for our significant adoption of the electronic health record by achieving HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 in both our acute and ambulatory care settings. This accomplishment is due to our commitment to improved patient outcomes through the expanded use of information technology.
“As the region’s only academic health system, we are surrounded by innovators and visionary leaders who have recognized the importance of leveraging these tools. The HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Award highlights our dedication to delivering the highest quality of care and enhancing the experience of our patients.”
The Award
The award was developed in 2011 to evaluate the impact and progress of EMR adoption in HIMSS Analytics Logic. The stages run from 0 to 7 and measure how a hospital implements and uses HIT applications.
Achievement of Stage 7 indicates that a facility has succeeded in establishing an advanced patient record environment. To be granted Stage 7 status, a facility must go through a site visit conducted by an executive from HIMSS Analytics as well as former or current CIOs to ensure the evaluation is unbiased.
John Daniels, global VP, healthcare advisory services group with HIMSS Analytics confirmed the exceptional environment created by UC Health, “UC Health has gone above and beyond the EMRAM Stage 7 criteria. They have already extended the closed-loop medication administration process to their infusion clinic and for interventional radiology cases. Combined with a strong population health program, the UC Health team is making a real difference in their community.”