With its newly achieved Stage 7 recognition for outpatient care from industry group HIMSS Analytics, Loma Linda University Health is now one of just 43 healthcare organizations in the United States to hold this recognition for both out- and inpatient care.
Stage 7 is the highest level of achievement for the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model from Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). This designation is awarded to institutions that leverage information technology to maximize healthcare.
Using electronic medical records directly improves patients’ quality of care by making their health information available to all their providers. This results in better-coordinated care because every health provider is seeing the same picture of a patients’ health.
Electronic records also improve the customer experience for patients. For example, by using the patient portal MyChart, Loma Linda University Health has increased outpatient care access to sooner ambulatory visits by sending auto-notifications to patients when an opening becomes available.
Loma Linda University Health has also used information technology to implement a program to manage chronic opioid use in the community.
Such achievements impressed a visiting group from HIMSS on Sept. 25, said Francis Chan, MD, interim chief medical officer at Loma Linda University Health. “The reviewer stated it was clearly conclusive that we meet the criteria for Stage 7.”
John H. Daniels, global vice president for HIMSS, said, “Loma Linda University Health continues to demonstrate its commitment to effectively using health information and technology to transform healthcare in its community.
“On the heels of achieving EMRAM Stage 7 last year for the hospital, Loma Linda University Health has expanded the incredible impact of their health information technology investments into their outpatient clinics.”
Mark Zirkelbach, MPA, chief information officer for Loma Linda University Health, said maximizing healthcare through information technology is a continuous team effort.
“We are delighted by this confirmation of our long-standing focus on improving quality through technology as appropriate,” he said.