Hospitals throughout the GCC could soon be assessed according to the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (Emram) on a scale of stages between zero and seven, seven being the ultimate stage, an expert said.

This offers hospitals an opportunity to voluntarily evaluate their progress towards a paper-free environment according to John Hoyt, executive vice president of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (Himss) Analytics. 

Hoyt will deliver the keynote address at next month’s Himss Middle East Conference, which takes place in Dubai from November 8 to 10.

“This topic is sure to provoke lively debate. I doubt whether the benefits will be called into question, the potentially contentious issue will be how healthcare professionals rate regional hospitals according to the EMRA model,” said Hoyt. 

While the Emram measures technology adoption, Hoyt notes that this is not its sole purpose. “We believe and have objectively found that hospitals at the top two levels of the Emram, stage six and seven have better healthcare outcomes.  These enhanced results include fewer adverse drug events and reduced error in healthcare systems. It is at stages six and seven that we really begin to see the return on investment,” he said.

Hoyt will address key regional leaders on 8 November the opening day of the Himss Middle East Conference. As part of his presentation Hoyt will engage in an interactive discussion with attendees who will represent some of the GCC’s leading healthcare delivery organisations. Input and comments offered by hospital leaders from around the region will factor into an Emram roll out plan for the region.

The EMR Adoption model is used widely in the United States and Europe.

Three unique conferences comprise Himss Middle East 2010 including: Himss Middle East Health IT Leadership Summit is a gathering of the CEOs, Hospital IT directors and governmental leaders of healthcare organisations throughout the region. The Himss Health IT Management Conference brings global best practices to the users and implementers of technology.

The Health Insurers Innovation Forum is in collaboration with MedicaIQ and will showcase the greatest innovations in the global health insurance industry and tools for consumer driven healthcare and medicine. It will also provide a first ever look at the health insurance industry through the lens of the healthcare technologist and leading global innovators. Current trends and much more will be discussed from the Gulf healthcare perspective.-TradeArabia News Service