As of December 2016, 7,622 ambulatory sites tracked by HIMSS Analytics had reached Stage 6 on its Outpatient Electronic Medical Record Adoption ModelSM (O-EMRAM).
HIMSS Analytics announced Grace Health has achieved Stage 6 on the EMR Adoption ModelSM (EMRAM).
HIMSS Analytics developed the Outpatient EMR Adoption Model in 2012 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for ambulatory facilities in the HIMSS Analytics® LOGIC™. Tracking their progress in completing eight stages (0-7), ambulatory sites 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 6 ambulatory facilities
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- Have made significant executive commitments and investments to reach this stage.
- Appear to have a significant advantage over competitors for patient safety, clinician support, clinician recruitment, and competitive marketing for both consumers and nurse recruitment.
- Have almost fully automated/paperless medical records when they have implemented their IT applications across most of the outpatient care settings.
- Are either starting to evaluate their data for care delivery process improvements or have already documented significant improvements in this area.
- Have made investments that are within reach of most clinics and recognize the strategic value of improving patient care with the EMR.
- Have begun to create strategic alignments with their medical staff to effectively utilize information technology to improve patient engagement and population health
- Are well positioned to provide data to key stakeholders, such as payers, the government, physicians, consumers, and employers, to support electronic health record environments and health information exchanges.
Stage 6 organizations also have achieved a significant advancement in their IT capabilities that positions them to successfully address many of the current industry transformations, such as meaningful use criteria in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, claims attachments for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, pay for performance, and government quality reporting programs.
Grace Health first starting using electronic health records for patient visits in 2006. In 2011, the Center converted to NextGen software for their electronic dental record and converted medical to NextGen in 2013. Grace Health’s Information Technology team works behind the scenes monitoring and evaluating the system to ensure it is being used effectively and efficiently. Additional staff were added to the team to help train staff, answer questions, and create templates in an effort to improve quality and ease of use of NextGen. Grace Health’s Information Technology team works with staff on a daily basis, receives feedback, and makes adjustments to templates within NextGen when needed resulting in improved quality care for Grace Health patients.
“HIMSS Analytics congratulates Grace Health for making significant progress towards achieving advanced health IT adoption,” said John H. Daniels, CNM, FACHE, FHIMSS, CPHIMS, Global Vice President, HIMSS Analytics. “Stage 6 represents a level of sophistication that can lead to innovative healthcare transformation.”
About Grace Health: Grace Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center that has been providing health care to residents of Calhoun County for over 30 years. The Center’s mission is to provide quality health care with the belief that all individuals have the right to considerate service at all times, with recognition of their personal dignity. Learn more about Grace Health at www.gracehealthmi.org
About HIMSS Analytics: HIMSS Analytics is a global healthcare advisor, providing guidance and market intelligence solutions that move the industry forward with insight to enable better health through the use of IT. As a trusted healthcare research and advisory firm, the industry depends on HIMSS Analytics’ resources, benchmarks, predictive models and assessment tools to improve decision making regarding their IT strategic roadmap and market strategy. HIMSS Analytics is uniquely positioned and differentiated through its industry focused offerings which include its Healthcare IT market intelligence tool, Healthcare IT insights and Healthcare IT benchmarks and services. The LOGIC market intelligence tool has the largest technology data set with unmatched breadth and depth needed for guiding healthcare IT strategies. HIMSS Analytics research and advisory consultants uncover unique insights on how to optimally use IT to tackle today’s healthcare challenges faced by both healthcare delivery organizations and IT companies. Its EMR Adoption Model (EMRAM) provides a strategic roadmap and guidance along an 8-stage model with comparisons to healthcare organizations in the same country and around the world.
HIMSS Analytics, a wholly owned subsidiary of HIMSS, is the healthcare research and advisory firm for healthcare delivery organizations, IT companies, governmental entities, and financial, pharmaceutical, consulting and emerging technology solution partners worldwide. Learn more at himssanalytics.org.
Grace Health’s Information Technology Team. Front row (left to right): Debbie Cary, Sonja Elder, Taylor Downs, and Sarah Smeets. Back row (left to right): Art Andonian, John Thompson, David Frederickson, Jared Dow, and Russ Johnson