Health First Hospitals Earn National Recognition

By  //  November 10, 2013

recognized for EMR systems

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – All four Health First hospitals were recently nationally recognized for their use of electronic medical record systems and advanced clinical technology to provide better care.

All four Health First hospitals were recently nationally recognized for their use of electronic medical record systems and advanced clinical technology to provide better care.
All four Health First hospitals were recently nationally recognized for their use of electronic medical record systems and advanced clinical technology to provide better care.

HIMSS Analytics has honored Health First Cape Canaveral Hospital, Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center, Health First Palm Bay Hospital and Health First Viera Hospital with Stage 6 recognition on the EMR Adoption Model (EMRAM). Only 11 percent of U.S. hospitals have achieved this designation.

Founded in 1995, Health First is a fully integrated health system. The not-for-profit employs more than 7,500 people, and in addition to the four hospitals, Health First is home to Brevard County’s only Trauma Center. Health First Medical Group is the largest multi-specialty physician group on the Space Coast, and Health First offers numerous outpatient and wellness services, including four Pro-Health and Fitness Centers.

Lori DeLone
Lori DeLone

“This recognition is extremely significant for Health First because it demonstrates our commitment to using advanced information technology solutions to deliver better care,” said Health First Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Lori DeLone. “As an integrated delivery network, we strive to share information across all service areas so clinicians can make timely, informed decisions.”

Over the past year, Health First has achieved the following milestones using the AllscriptsSunrise™ system:

• Expanded the use of Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) from 50 percent to 90 percent, streamlining care and improving patient safety.
• Introduced bar code scanning at the bedside, increasing reliability of medication administration.
• Expanded the use of clinical alerts, improving decision support at the point of care.

In 2005, HIMSS 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.

John Hoyt
John Hoyt

Stages range from 0 to 7—which represents an advanced electronic patient record environment.

“HIMSS Analytics congratulates all four Health First hospitals for leading the way toward health IT adoption,” said John Hoyt, FACHE, FHIMSS, Executive Vice President of Organizational Services for HIMSS. “Stage 6 represents a level of sophistication that only 556 U.S. hospitals have reached to date.”

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