Florida Hospital Fish Memorial Improves Patient Care with Health IT

ORANGE CITY, Fla., January 4, 2017 Florida Hospital Fish Memorial has received the HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 designation, the highest level of achievement on the Electronic Medical Records Adoption Model (EMRAM), which is used to track EMR progress at hospitals and health systems.

HIMSS Analytics developed the EMR Adoption Model as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics Database. The stages measure a hospitals implementation and utilization of information technology applications.

The final stage, Stage 7, represents an advanced electronic patient record environment. The validation process to confirm a hospital has reached Stage 7 includes a site visit by an executive from HIMSS Analytics and former or current chief information officers to ensure an unbiased evaluation of the Stage 7 environments.

The Adventist Health System is making outstanding progress as it adds yet another one of its hospitals to the list of EMRAM Stage 7 hospitals in the US, said John H. Daniels, CNM, FACHE, FHIMSS, CPHIMS, global vice president, healthcare advisory services group, HIMSS Analytics. It is quite pleasing to watch this organization optimize how it is using health IT to achieve enterprise-wide benefits in terms of higher quality care, safety, and operational efficiencies. They are employing effective analytics and EMR optimization strategies driven by engaged leadership and committed front-line staff.

Since implementing its electronic health record in 2006, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial has been on a continuous path to maximize its use to benefit patients through automation and improving patient safety.

Achieving the Stage 7 designation demonstrates our on-going commitment to technology, helping us continue to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of the care we provide. This puts us in a group with only 4.5 percent of hospitals nationally, and only one of 10 in Florida at this level for adoption of electronic medical records," said Rob Deininger, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial CEO. "Our hospital is relentlessly focused on quality and patient safety, as evidenced by our recent A ranking from The Leapfrog Group, and this new accolade from HIMSS further reflects that.

Florida Hospital Fish Memorial will be recognized at the 2017 HIMSS Conference and Exhibition on Feb. 19-23, 2017, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

About Florida Hospital Fish Memorial

Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 46 hospital campuses and nearly 8,200 licensed beds in 10 states. With 175-beds, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is one of the six Florida Hospitals in Volusia and Flagler counties that composes the Florida Hospital East Florida Region. As the largest hospital system in the area, the Florida Hospital East Florida Region has 923 beds and more than 6,000 employees. With a mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, the Florida Hospital East Florida Region collectively contributed nearly $120 million in benefits in 2015 to the underprivileged, the community's overall health and wellness and spiritual needs, and capital improvements.