King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center (KFSH&RC) in Riyadh and Jeddah has achieved Stage 6 on the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM), which scores hospitals on the use of IT.

KFSH&RC has been recognised for meeting all criteria for a Stage 6 hospital in the deployment and use of clinical information technology to improve patient safety, quality and efficiency, said HIMSS Analytics Asia, which collects and analyzes healthcare organization data relating to IT processes.

HIMSS Analytics developed the EMR Adoption Model in 2005 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics Database.

Tracking their progress in completing eight stages (0-7), hospitals 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.

Putting the achievement into perspective, just 5.2 per cent of more than 5,300 hospitals in the US tracked by HIMSS Analytics had reached Stage 6 on its EMRAM during the fourth quarter of 2011, a statement said.

“KFSH&RC is clearly leading the way on EMR adoption,” said John Hoyt, executive vice president, Organizational Services, for HIMSS.

“Stage 6 represents an advanced level of sophistication and puts King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center literally in a league of its own in the Middle East and amongst the top 5 per cent globally.”

“As the first recipient of this prestigious accolade in the region, the hospital has demonstrated once again its constant focus on electronic health records to enhance still further the quality of care and clinical outcomes for our patients,” said Professor Qasim Alqasabi, chief executive officer of KFSH&RC.

KFSH&RC will be honored with their Stage 6 Award at the HIMSS Middle East Conference & Leadership Summit which takes place at the new Rocco Forte hotel in Abu Dhabi on May 201 and 21. – TradeArabia News Service