The Laurel, Md.-based MedPeds has been named a 2013 Ambulatory HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence winner, the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) announced.
Since 1994, the Nicholas E. Davies Award has recognized excellence in the use of health information technology, specifically the use of the electronic health record (EHR) to successfully improve healthcare delivery processes and patient safety while achieving a demonstrated return on investment.
Winning ambulatory organizations include independent physician practices, large ambulatory systems, enterprise clinics, and community health organizations. These organizations must demonstrate the value of the EHR in supporting the delivery of patient care and as well as document improved patient outcomes, identify the challenges faced, and describe the solutions implemented in a manner that can be replicated by other organizations. Winners of the HIMSS Enterprise Davies Award must have achieved Stage 6 or Stage 7 on the HIMSS Analytics EMR Adoption Model.
MedPeds, a private practice of eight providers and 23 employees situated in the D.C. suburb of Laurel, Maryland, provided outpatient services to nearly 18,000 patients over the past three years. Patient demographics included 854 patients over the age of 64, and 4,606 patients under age 18. MedPeds is also a 2008 winner of the NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance) Quality Award and has long been recognized as a leader in early efforts to establish health information exchange (HIE) in Maryland.
Using a comprehensive EHR-enabled quality improvement strategy focused on adherence to best practice protocols and heavy technology-enabled patient engagement strategies (including an incentive program for MedPeds medical assistants to drive improvements), MedPeds has sustained excellent care coordination while maintaining a high level of care delivery that scores well above national benchmarks, HIMSS officials wrote in a statement.
As result of these efforts, MedPeds has received a Level III Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) designation from NCQA. MedPeds has also received more than $1 million in additional revenue through their participation in multiple quality improvement and reporting pilots.
“MedPeds is honored to receive the 2013 Ambulatory HIMSS Davies Award in recognition of the practice's successful application of an electronic health record to improve patient care,” MedPeds founder, Dr. Seth Eaton, said in a statement. “MedPeds especially wishes to acknowledge the team effort by our entire staff in the development of a EHR driven staff incentive compensation formula to help all employees work together to improve customer service and achieve better quality care. "
MedPeds will be recognized at the 2013 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, Fla. on Feb.23-27, 2014.
