Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Analytics™ has designated The MetroHealth System as a Stage 7 ambulatory center for the sophistication of its electronic medical records as well as the way it has used them to improve immunization rates, crack down on pediatric hypertension and improve patient care in a host of ways. All 16 of MetroHealth’s community health centers, along with the Cancer Care Center and the Women & Children’s Pavilion, have attained “the pinnacle achievement” on HIMSS’ ambulatory electronic medical record adoption model (A-EMRAM).
“We are proud to lead the way toward high-quality, patient-centered and technology-enabled care,” said David Kaelber, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Informatics Officer at MetroHealth. “This recognition acknowledges MetroHealth’s leadership and commitment to pushing the use of electronic health records for the benefit of our patients and all of northeast Ohio.”
Stage 7 providers are recognized for creating a truly paperless environment. They support the sharing, exchange and immediate delivery of patient data to improve quality of care. MetroHealth’s electronic medical records have ensured better care by:
- Providing raw data on how many are suffering from undiagnosed pediatric hypertension and alerting medical caregivers when a patient’s blood pressure merits follow through.
- Reminding patients when they are due for an immunization.
- Tracking incidental findings, unrelated medical issues that pop up in treatment, and ensuring that they’re addressed in a timely matter.
“The MetroHealth System has a strong culture of leveraging its EHR (electronic health records) to improve clinical and business operations, and staff are encouraged to perform at their highest levels of skill, certification and license,” said John Daniels, vice president of strategic relations for HIMMS.
MetroHealth is among the first safety-net health systems in the country to reach Stage 7 status and the first to do so using Epic, a leader in medical software. It is the first Stage 7 ambulatory health system in Northeast Ohio.
HIMSS Analytics developed A-EMRAM in 2011 as a method for evaluating the progress and impact of EMR systems at ambulatory facilities.
