HIMSS and the Korean Hospital Association inked a memorandum of understanding yesterday to drive digital transformation in South Korea's healthcare sector. 

The partnership will see KHA member hospitals leveraging the HIMSS Digital Health Indicator and subsequently the HIMSS Maturity Model assessments with the goal of advancing their digital healthcare capabilities. Under the agreement, five KHA member hospitals will be undergoing the DHI assessment this year.

Other areas the organisations will collaborate on include cross-promoting conferences and events such as the HIMSS APAC Conference and the K-Hospital Fair organised by KHA, and recruiting South Korea’s healthcare community to participate in the HIMSS Certified Professional in Digital Health Transformation Strategy (CPDHTS) programme.

The KHA was founded in 1959 with the aim of contributing to the improvement of healthcare and the prosperity of humanity. The organisation conducts research on domestic medical policies and hospital system operations, provides education for hospitals and hospital workers, and works to improve the quality of hospitals and medical treatment.

THE LARGER TREND

A number of digital health milestones have been observed in South Korea recently. Samsung Medical Center achieved a top score for the HIMSS 2022 DHI ranking, alongside Stage 7 validations for the HIMSS Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) and Digital Imaging Adoption Model (DIAM). Korea University Anam Hospital was also recognised for its commendable DHI score last year. 

At a policy level, the South Korean government has made a call to institutionalise telehealth and revise the rules around the application and approval of innovative medical devices to allow more AI-powered and digital technology devices to be immediately used in clinical settings.

ON THE RECORD

"Today’s partnership signals our intent to collaborate with one of the most important stakeholders in the South Korean healthcare community to advance to the next level. HIMSS is committed to support KHA members in their digital transformation to rank among the best healthcare organisations in the world," shared Simon Lin, HIMSS VP and Managing Director for Asia-Pacific. 

"This agreement gives me confidence. Confidence that we can prepare for the future of digital transformation, by exploring various areas of medical information in cooperation with HIMSS. I believe that this close-knit collaboration will not only strengthen the global health capabilities of the Korean medical sector but also help shape the vision for global medical IT," said KHA President Dr Dong-Sup Yoon.