HIMSS Analytics has recognized 37 ARCare and 18 MetroHealth System clinics with its Stage 7 Ambulatory Award, the highest level on its Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model.
ARCare, based in Augusta, Ark., is the first federally qualified health center ambulatory organization to reach stage 7. "By utilizing the EMRAM model, we are able to validate that we are actually utilizing our health IT to deliver care according to the triple aim and be an example of best practice for others," said Greg Wolverton, CIO for ARCare, in a news release. "Our internal staff are excited that their work is validated and they have become a part of something larger than their individual scope of practices."
The MetroHealth System clinics recognized are part of the Cleveland-based organization's extensive network in northeast Ohio. "MetroHealth has a strong culture of leveraging their EHR to improve clinical and business operations, and staff are encouraged to perform at their highest levels of skill, certification and license," said John Daniels, HIMSS' vice president of strategic relations, in a news release. "MetroHealth has implemented an automated patient notification system to report incidental findings from test results. For example, if imaging from a trauma case reveals a finding unrelated to the trauma, an automated notification is triggered so that the patient and provider can follow up. MetroHealth has increased patient notification of incidental findings from 36 percent to 100 percent. They have also reduced follow-up time for incidental findings by 68 days."
Currently, just 4.54 percent of the more than 20,000 ambulatory clinics in the HIMSS database have reached stage 7. Providers at this stage are able to share health information with outside providers, have advanced clinical decision support software, offer patients an online portal and can use the EMR to gather clinical and business intelligence, among other capabilities.
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