London, UK - (HealthTech Wire / News) - Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been successfully validated at Stage 6 of the international HIMSS Analytics EMR Adoption Model (EMRAM) standards.

The trust, located in London, England, has reaffirmed its commitment to improve patient safety and overall quality of clinical care through digital technology by demonstrating compliance against the standards.

The EMRAM provides an eight-stage framework to assess levels of digital maturity in hospitals.

Achieving Stage 6 reflects the degree to which clinicians use and obtain benefits from the EPR while working to improve the safety of medicines administration, supported altogether by a greater reliance on technology to assist with clinical decision making.

Driving digital transformation

The digital transformation of the trust has been supported by its partnership with one of the global leaders in healthcare information technology services, the Cerner Corporation, which provides the trust’s Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system.

Kevin Fitzgerald, Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Chief Information Officer, said: “Our EPR initiative has enabled us to engage with all our clinical staff to improve patient safety and provide care in a more timely and effective way. I am tremendously proud of all the teams involved and the contributions they have made.”

Kingston Hospital is the fourth organisation in England to be recognised at Stage 6 of the EMRAM standards, after Addenbrooke's, St George’s and Croydon University Hospital.

Jane Wilson, Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Medical Director, said: “The EPR programme has allowed us to support safe and effective care. The vital signs integration project improves responsiveness to patients' needs, but has also freed nursing time to provide more direct care.”

Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust representatives will receive their award at UK e-Health Week 2018 on 15 -16 May in London.

The event, organised by HIMSS UK and supported by NHS England and NHS Digital, is expected to attract around 3,000 UK health IT and clinical leaders.

John Rayner, HIMSS Analytics Regional Director for Europe and Latin America, said: “Significant progress has been made here at the Kingston Hospital. I was particularly impressed with the way the nursing care planning process has assisted with a standardised approach, ensuring that patients receive care that is personalised to their individual needs.

“The system aligns low risk with low risk interventions and high risk with high risk interventions, ensuring that care is appropriate and consistent.”

Geoff Segal, General Manager, Cerner UK said: “Cerner is very proud to have been able to support Kingston on their digital journey and we congratulate all Kingston staff on this recognition. HIMSS Level 6 is a tremendous achievement and Kingston has demonstrated the vision, governance and commitment to deliver the business change and EHR adoption required for better, safer, joined-up care.

"Enriching the electronic health records with clinical documentation, medications management and prescribing, and clinical decision support with alerts for patients at risk ultimately benefits both clinical staff and patients.”                                 

Notes for editors:

For further press enquiries, images or to request an interview please contact Shandia Vythilingum Svythilingum@himss.org

Available for interview:

• Jane Wilson, Medical Director, Kingston Hospital
• Carl Chow, Chief Clinical Information Officer, Kingston Hospital
• Kevin Fitzgerald, Chief Information Officer, Kingston Hospital
• John Rayner, HIMSS Analytics Regional Director for Europe & Latin America