EMRAM Evolution Takes Outcomes-Driven Approach to Measurement and Strategy

HIMSS has innovated its flagship maturity model, EMRAM (the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model), to reflect the priorities of today’s health systems toward measuring clinical outcomes, patient engagement and use of digital technologies and EMRs to support excellence in patient care.

The modernized EMRAM, launched Jan. 1, 2022, takes an outcomes-driven approach to measurement and strategy — identifying risks to health progress and empowering providers to proactively mitigate potential issues by leveraging digital technologies to track progress toward health goals — ultimately strengthening organizational performance and health outcomes across patient populations.

HIMSS provides research-based insights and guidance to optimize digital health transformation. EMRAM now incorporates methodology and algorithms to score whole hospitals around the world relative to their digital maturity, providing a more detailed road map to ease adoption and begin a digital transformation journey toward aspirational outcomes.

These latest changes to EMRAM were prompted by the shifting demands on global health systems, advancing technologies and the market’s desire to drive change. EMRAM was originally developed to achieve near-paperless environments, and it later evolved to advance technology adoption to enable data-informed clinical processes. Now, EMRAM is outcomes focused, aspirational, it has increased flexibility, greater global relevance and greater focus on achieving meaningful patient engagement.

HIMSS has collected real-world examples of improvements seen in EMRAM to date.

• Operational Outcomes:

  • U.S. hospitals at EMRAM Stage 7 have statistically significantly higher productivity (e.g. Bed Turnover Rates) compared to hospitals with EMRAM Stages 0-4.

• Patient Safety:

  • The higher the digital maturity, the less time it took to transfer patients to another facility for Acute Coronary Intervention. This relationship is statistically significant and suggests higher quality of care.

• Patient Experience:

  • The patient ratings gathered by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores are significantly higher in organizations with advanced digital maturity, all statistically significant.

As part of beta testing, the Johns Hopkins Hospital became the first system to achieve Stage 6 validation on the new EMRAM.

The updated EMRAM will drive the industry forward. EMRAM creates evidence-based data showing achievable outcomes at each stage. It optimizes digital work environments, improves organizational performance and financial sustainability, builds a robust, sustainable workforce and supports exceptional patient experience.