Honored for EMR Sophistication, HIMSS Analytics Announces Stage 6 Hospitals

Only 42 out of the more than 5,000 US hospitals tracked by HIMSS Analytics has achieved this recognition for implementation of the electronic medical record

CHICAGO (February 26, 2009) – As the country moves to transform healthcare with the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 42 US hospitals recognized as a Stage 6 by HIMSS Analytics serve as  role models in healthcare IT adoption for other healthcare systems just beginning this process. Achieving electronic medical record sophistication, these hospitals have achieved significant advancement in their information technology capabilities as measured by the EMR Adoption ModelSM (EMRAM). 

HIMSS Analytics developed the EMRAM in 2005 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record (EMR) systems for acute care delivery environments. With an almost paperless environment, Stage 6 hospitals are positioned to successfully address many of the expected industry transformations, such as HIPAA Claims Attachment, pay for performance, and government quality reporting programs. There are a total of 8 stages (0-7) on the EMRAM with the goal of reaching Stage 7 - operating in an environment where paper charts are not used to manage the delivery of patient care, and clinical data is used for performance improvement and analytics of care delivery.

“Only 0.5 percent of hospitals (tracked through the HIMSS Analytics Database) have achieved Stage 6 capabilities,” said Mike Davis, executive vice president, HIMSS Analytics.  “The hospitals we rank as Stage 6 have implemented advanced clinical applications that improve patient safety and care delivery outcomes.”

The list includes hospital systems and single hospitals with a total of 42 hospitals at the Stage 6 level.

The hospitals will be honored at HIMSS09 at the first ever Stage 7 Awards reception on Monday, April 6 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The awards ceremony will celebrate both Stage 6 and 7 hospitals in their efforts for leading the way in EMR implementation.

A link to the complete list of Stage 6 hospitals appears on the HIMSS Analytics Web site. The Stage 6 hospital systems appear below.

Stage 6 Hospitals -Validated by HIMSS Analytics - January 2009
(Integrated delivery system, or IDS, organizations have multiple hospitals.)

1. Midland Memorial Hospital (320 Beds)/ Midland, Texas
2. Clarian Health (1,688 Licensed Beds for the system)/ Indianapolis, Ind.
3. Newport Hospital (148 Beds)/ Newport, RI
4. NorthShore University HealthSystem, (858 Licensed Beds for the system)/Evanston, Ill.
5. Citizens Memorial Healthcare (74 Beds)/Bolivar, Mo.
6. Memorial Health University Medical Center (580 Beds)/Savannah, Ga.
7. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center (763 Beds)/Baton Route, La.
8. St. Clair Memorial Hospital (329 Beds)/Pittsburgh, Penn.
9. St. Agnes Hospital (322 Beds)/Baltimore, Md.
10. University Health System (597 Beds)/San Antonio, Texas
11. Carle Foundation Hospital (535 Beds)/Urbana, Ill.
12. HCA - Lewis Gale Medical Center (521 Beds)/Salem, Va.
13. UC San Diego Medical Center/San Diego, Calif.
14. Vanderbilt University Medical Center/Nashville, Tenn.
15. SSM Health Care (5,000 beds)/St. Louis, Mo.
16. Watertown Memorial Hospital (95 licensed beds)/Watertown, Wis.
17. UPMC (3,762 Licensed Beds for the System)/Pittsburgh, Penn.
18. Parkview Adventist Medical Center (55 Beds)/Brunswick, Maine
19. Swedish Covenant Hospital (334 licensed beds)/Chicago, Ill.
20. Sacred Heart Medical Center (623 licensed beds)/Spokane, Wash.
21. Stellaris Health Network (1056 beds for the system)/Armonk, NY
22. Mercy Hospital & Medical Center (473 licensed beds)/Chicago, Ill.
23. Baystate Medical Center (746 licensed beds)/Springfield, Mass.
24. Kaiser Permanente Health Foundation (7,654 beds for the system)/Oakland, Calif.

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