Cleveland, OH,
01
February
2018
|
09:00 AM
America/New_York

The MetroHealth System Earns HIMSS Analytics Revalidation as a Stage 7 Hospital and Outpatient Network for Use of Electronic Medical Records

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) has revalidated The MetroHealth System as a Stage 7 hospital and outpatient network for the sophistication of its electronic medical records (EMR). The revalidation was tracked by the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) and the Outpatient Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (O-EMRAM).

Stage 7 providers support the sharing, exchange and immediate delivery of patient data to improve quality of care. MetroHealth’s EMRs have ensured better care by:

  • Increasing access to patient self-scheduling and implementing a “fast pass” feature that automatically notifies patients if earlier appointments become available. Each one percent increase in self-scheduling has been demonstrated to generate $15,000 in revenue and decrease $10,000 in staff expenses annually.
  • Providing support for patients battling opioid abuse. Electronic Health Record (EHR) based opioid prescription habits, one-click prescription monitoring and opioid care plans all help patients and providers manage care better.
  • Increasing awareness of preventive maintenance. All preventive maintenance alerts for providers are now shown to patients through their EHR personal health record. Provider alerting and passive reminders about HIV and Hepatitis C screening increased HIV screening by 225 percent and increased positive HIV tests by 11 percent. It also increased Hepatitis C screening by 2,500 percent and increased positive Hepatitis C tests by 560 percent.
  • Increasing the exchange of health information. MetroHealth exchanges more than 5 million documents per year with other systems including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration. This increased communication leads to better care: In upwards of 80 percent of cases, tests that otherwise would have been ordered are successfully scheduled. The collaboration also has reduced unnecessary inpatient admissions by about 15 percent.

“We are proud to lead the way toward high-quality, patient-centered and technology-enabled care," said Chief Medical Informatics Officer and Vice President of Health Informatics and Patient Engagement David Kaelber, MD, PhD, MPH. “Being among the first health care systems to achieve and be revalidated as a HIMSS Stage 7 organization, acknowledges MetroHealth's leadership and commitment to pushing the use of electronic health records for the benefit of our patients, our health care system, Northeast Ohio and beyond."

“There are many capabilities and services offered by The MetroHealth System. What I found most notable is the delivery of these services to patient populations that are often overlooked. You have deployed your EMR tools to the County Jail, for all foster children and have a focus on the LGBT community. This is impressive service to your community,” said Philip Bradley, regional director of North America, HIMSS Analytics.

HIMSS Analytics will recognize The MetroHealth System at the 2018 HIMSS Conference & Exhibition, held March 5-9, 2018, at the Venetian-Palazzo-Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit the HIMSS Analytics website for more information on the health care provider maturity models and Stage 7 award.

To learn more about HIMMS EMRAM, visit http://www.himssanalytics.org/emram

About the MetroHealth System

Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.