HIMSS Analytics launches awards

HIMSS Analytics Europe is to introduce awards for European Hospitals that have achieved the highest scores on its the electronic medical record adoption model.

The awards will be unveiled at the upcoming HIMSS Europe Health IT Leadership Summit in Rome on 29 September – 1 October.

The HIMSS Analytics Europe Stage 6 and 7 Awards will recognise hospitals that operate in a paperless environment and are said to represent best practices in implementation of the EMR.

HIMSS Analytics Europe recently launched the European EMR Adoption Model and is currently surveying hospitals across 12 European countries.

Initial findings will be presented at the Rome event, alongside the announcement of the criteria needed to achieve the highest level of EMR adoption.

The European EMR Adoption Model has been adapted to meet the unique needs of European Healthcare Institutions and draws on the HIMSS Analytics US EMR Adoption Model, which was first developed in 2005.

Tracking their progress in completing eight stages (0-7), hospitals can review the implementation and utilisation of information technology applications with the intent of reaching Stage 7, which represents an advanced electronic patient record environment.

The most advanced, stage 7 hospitals, are ones able to deliver patient care without the use of paper charts and can share patient information by sending secure standardised summary record transactions to other care providers.

Other attributes of stage 7 hospitals include using clinical data to drive improved care delivery performance, patient safety clinical decision support, and outcomes using business intelligence solutions.

The validation process that confirms a hospital has reached Stage 7 includes a site visit conducted by an executive from HIMSS Analytics Europe and two current chief information officers to ensure an unbiased evaluation of the Stage 7 environments.

“Stage 7 hospitals provide best practices that other healthcare organizations can study and emulate as they strive to use EMR applications to improve patient safety, clinical outcomes and patient care delivery efficiency,” said Uwe Buddrus, General Manager, HIMSS Analytics Europe.

“The accomplishments of Stage 7 hospitals serve as important indicators of high quality patient care with the interoperable electronic medical record in place.”