Quality and Safety Linked to Advanced Health IT, Quality and Safety Measures

Analysis of U.S. hospitals in all stages of implementation of EMR systems has shown that hospitals in advanced stages (Stages 5 and above) are significantly more likely to set national benchmarks for balanced performance than are peer hospitals.

Ann Arbor, MICH. and CHICAGO (April 18, 2012) – Hospitals identified as 100 Top Hospital® award winners by Thomson Reuters were found to use more advanced levels of information technology (IT)-enabled processes when compared to the overall U.S. hospital population.  Research looking at the possible relationship between the hospitals identified as 100 Top Hospital® award winners by Thomson Reuters and the HIMSS Analytics Electronic Medical Records Adoption Model (EMRAM) scores was conducted in November 2011.  Hospitals included in the sample received the 100 Top Hospital® award in either 2009 or 2010.

The research found statistically significant relationships between the 100 Top Hospitals of 2009 and 2010 and the advanced stages of the EMRAM model during the same time period. For example:

• In 2009, 14 percent of 100 Top Hospitals were in Stages 5 to 7, compared to six percent of all U.S. hospitals.

• In 2010, only one percent of the 100 Top Hospitals were at Stage 0 or Stage 1, compared to 17 percent of all U.S. hospitals.  Additionally, 21 percent of 100 Top Hospitals were at Stage 5 or higher, compared to nearly nine percent of all U.S. hospitals.

“Objective proof that higher performance is correlated with the electronic medical record represents a major breakthrough for the hospital and IT industries,” said Jean Chenoweth, Sr. Vice President, 100 Top Hospitals, Thomson Reuters.  “100 Top Hospitals are more than twice as likely to be in EMRAM Stages    5 – 7.  During the same time period, the 100 Top Hospitals national benchmarks rose.  As more hospitals take advantage of government incentives to adopt the electronic medical record, performance standards in hospitals may rise much more quickly and uniformly across the country. This is very encouraging news for patients, providers, payers and the government.”

In addition, an analysis of the percent of hospitals in each stage also demonstrates there is a higher proportion of 100 Top Hospitals in Stages 3 or higher of the EMRAM model when compared to the overall U.S. population, as shown in Tables Three and Four in the report.

“The very strong correlation between Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals and hospitals at higher levels on the EMRAM model shows the benefits of deploying advanced clinical applications in the delivery of healthcare in U.S. hospitals,” said John P. Hoyt, FACHE, FHIMSS, Executive Vice President, HIMSS Analytics. “This is one of the first studies to make the connection between hospitals using advanced information technologies and quality and safety benchmarks.”

Read the study on the HIMSS Analytics website.

About Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.  We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world’s most trusted news organization.  With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs 55,000 people and operates in over 100 countries.  For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

About HIMSS Analytics

HIMSS Analytics is a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).  The company collects and analyzes healthcare information related to IT processes and environments, products, IS department composition and costs, IS department management metrics, healthcare trends and purchase-related decisions.  HIMSS Analytics delivers high quality products, services and analytical expertise to healthcare delivery organizations, healthcare IT companies, state governments, financial companies, pharmaceutical companies, and consulting firms.  Visit www.himssanalytics.org for more information

   

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