HIMSS Stage 7 Designation: Grady Health System Improves Infectious Disease Program through Health IT
Grady Health System has earned the Stage 7 on the HIMSS Analytics Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) for its use of health information technology to improve patient care and safety. As a specific example, Grady’s use of actionable analytics and guided pathways has resulted in a 96 percent reduction in the transmission of HIV, when the patient is in treatment.
Grady Memorial Hospital is Georgia’s only adult acute care hospital to earn the highest rating for improving patient care and safety through health information technology.
HIMSS Analytics developed the eight-stage EMR Adoption Model as a tool to benchmark information technology maturity in healthcare organizations. Less than five percent of hospitals in the U.S. have achieved Stage 7 certification.
“We demonstrated that our advanced use of technology and data is making a real difference in how we care for patients and in patient outcomes. The effective combination of our people and technology has driven clinical quality and financial improvements throughout the organization,” Ben McKeeby, senior vice president and chief information officer, Grady Health System, said in a statement.
Grady leverages an integrated EMR and many innovative technologies to provide high quality care. What’s more, through actionable analytics and guided pathways, Grady patients are benefitting. One specific example involves Grady’s infectious disease program. Grady implemented alerting for clinicians in the EMR and recommended ordering pathways to screen patients for HIV and link those patients to treatment. The result has been a 96 percent reduction in transmission of HIV, when the patient is in treatment. Grady has identified and linked hundreds of patients to treatment through this program.
“Grady implemented a Meds to Beds program focused on reducing 30-day readmissions and improving patient experience. In this program, when a physician places a discharge order, the pharmacist receives an automatic alert to visit the patient. The pharmacist then ensures the patient (or family member) has the medications needed before discharge, and they understand the instructions. Of the patients entered into the program, Grady is seeing an increase in revenue and decrease in 30-day readmissions,” Philip Bradley regional director, North America, healthcare advisory services, operations, HIMSS Analytics, said in a statement.
Grady will be recognized at the 2017 HIMSS Conference & Exhibition on Feb. 19-23, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
