HIMSS Analytics Certifies Kaiser Permanente Ontario Medical Center as Stage 7 Hospital

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente announced today that its Ontario Medical Center in Southern California has received the Stage 7 Award from HIMSS Analytics. Over the last five years 37 Kaiser Permanente hospitals have been awarded Stage 7 certification, the most of any health system in the country.

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The Stage 7 Award represents attainment of the highest level on Health Information Management Systems Society Analytics' Electronic Medical Records Adoption Model, which is used to track EMR progress at hospitals and health systems.

HIMSS Analytics developed the EMR Adoption Model in 2005 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics™ Database. There are eight stages (0-7) that measure a hospital's implementation and utilization of information technology applications. The final stage, Stage 7, represents an advanced and paperless patient record environment. According to HIMSS Analytics, Stage 7 hospitals "have a very real competitive and quality advantage, as they support the true sharing, information exchange and immediate delivery of patient data to improve process performance, quality of care and patient safety." The Stage 7 validation process includes a site visit by an executive from HIMSS Analytics and former or current chief information officers from other organizations to ensure an unbiased evaluation.

"Kaiser Permanente has long been a pioneer in health information technology and it is an honor to have another one of our hospitals recognized for its commitment to technology enabled care," said John E. Mattison, MD, chief medical information officer and assistant medical director for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group. "We are very proud to say that all Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Southern California are now Stage 7 certified, which is quite an achievement, and helps explain why our members enjoy the highest quality of care and safety in our hospitals."

Kaiser Permanente's Ontario Medical Center will be recognized at the 2014 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition on Feb. 22-27, in Orlando, Fla. As of December 2013, the Ontario Medical Center is one of only 161 U.S. facilities, or 2.9 percent of the more than 5,000 U.S. hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics Database, to be awarded the HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Award.

"Receiving this Stage 7 Award from HIMSS Analytics confirms that, with our integrated health care model, electronic health record system, and the dedication of our world-class team of physicians and staff, we are consistently delivering high-quality care to our members," said David Quam, MD, area medical director and chief of staff, Kaiser Permanente San Bernardino County Area. "It is an honor to be recognized."

Securely connecting approximately 9.1 million people, 618 medical offices and 38 hospitals, Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect® is the largest and most advanced non-governmental electronic health record in the world. KP HealthConnect links patients with their health care teams, personal health information and the latest medical knowledge. It also connects Kaiser Permanente's researchers to one of the most extensive collections of longitudinal medical data available, facilitating studies and important medical discoveries that shape the future of health and care delivery for patients and the medical community.

Visit the HIMSS14 website to learn more about the conference, which includes a number of Kaiser Permanente executives, and follow @KPDigitalHealth for the latest #HIMSS14 news.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve approximately 9.1 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert medical teams are supported by industry-leading technology and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, care delivery and chronic disease management. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.

Contact:
Ravi Poorsina
510-421-0557
[email protected]

Amanda Wardell
510-292-0758
[email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente