HIMSS Analytics Honors Kaiser Permanente System With Stage 7 Ambulatory Award

The HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Ambulatory Award honors ambulatory facilities operating in a paperless environment and representing best practices in implementing EHR

HIMSS Analytics recognized 350 Kaiser Permanente ambulatory clinics with its Stage 7 Ambulatory Award. The award represents Kaiser Permanente’s attainment of the highest level on the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM), which is used to track EMR progress at hospitals and health systems.

Developed in 2011, the EMR Ambulatory Adoption Model provides a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for ambulatory facilities owned by hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics Database. Stage 7 represents the highest level of EMR adoption and indicates a health system’s advanced electronic patient record environment.

During the third quarter of 2014, only 4.37 percent of the more than 27,000 U.S. ambulatory clinics in the HIMSS Analytics Database received the Stage 7 Ambulatory Award.

“Kaiser Permanente is proud to be part of the HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Awards since they first began recognizing hospitals in 2009. It's a rigorous and highly sought after award that recognizes health care organizations for using EHRs at the highest level to improve quality of care, patient safety and process performance,” said Dick Daniels, interim chief information officer, Kaiser Permanente. “Today, all 350 of our eligible ambulatory clinics received the HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Ambulatory Award. Kaiser Permanente is the largest group in that category. Add our 37 HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Hospital Awards and we feel confident that our EHR adoption is maximizing care delivery throughout our integrated delivery system."

Kaiser Permanente currently serves approximately 9.5 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health.

“Kaiser Permanente has clearly met and exceeded all criteria for an ambulatory Stage 7 organization. They have a complete electronic patient medical record with appropriate ubiquitous access to support patient care in all Kaiser Permanente facilities across the country,” said John P. Hoyt, FACHE, FHIMSS, executive vice president, HIMSS Analytics. “With world class analytics, Kaiser Permanente has shown the value of a very comprehensive EHR and the business and clinical analytics to improve care, quality, safety, and efficiency on a world class basis.”

Kaiser Permanente will be recognized at the 2015 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition on April 12-16, 2015, in Chicago, Ill.

Visit the HIMSS Analytics website (http://www.himssanalytics.org/home/index.aspx) for more information on the Stage 7 award.

About HIMSS Analytics
HIMSS Analytics collects, analyzes and distributes essential health IT data related to products, costs, metrics, trends and purchase decisions. It delivers quality data and analytical expertise to healthcare delivery organizations, IT companies, governmental entities, financial, pharmaceutical and consulting companies. For more information, visit www.himssanalytics.org.

HIMSS Analytics is a part of HIMSS, a cause-based, global enterprise that produces health IT thought leadership, education, events, market research and media services around the world. Founded in 1961, HIMSS encompasses more than 52,000 individuals, of which more than two-thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations across the globe, plus over 600 corporations and 250 not-for-profit partner organizations, that share the cause of transforming health and healthcare through the best use of IT. HIMSS, headquartered in Chicago, serves the global health IT community with additional offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia.