Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan has recently been revalidated for Stage 7 of the HIMSS Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model. It was also validated for Stage 6 of the HIMSS Infrastructure Adoption Model.  

The EMRAM measures an organisation's adoption and maturity of their EMR capabilities while the INFRAM assesses their IT infrastructure architecture across five areas: cybersecurity, adoption, sustainability, performance, and outcomes.

Stage 6 and 7 HIMSS validations are valid for three years, after which organisations will need to undergo a revalidation to retain them. 

WHY IT MATTERS

During its revalidation for Stage 7 EMRAM, evaluators noted "impressive" demonstrations of CGMH's operational, business and advanced analytics. Andrew Pearce, VP Analytics and Global Advisory Lead of HIMSS cited a feature of its electronic medication administration record – where the order of drug administration is recommended to the nurses – as one example. 

"This was an excellent innovation that aptly demonstrated how even minor features, predicated on a deep understanding of clinical flows and pathways can help to improve quality and safety outcomes for patients," he said.

The hospital's senior executives were also commended for "being immersed in understanding and implementing organisational policies with robust governance, good lines of communication and strong understanding of ground practices." 

On the infrastructure side, CGMH was praised for having strong infrastructure governance and clinicians being actively involved in its infrastructure investment; regular security and downtime simulations, which are done twice a year; a "clean and well-managed" data centre featuring an efficient organisation of cabling works; and its demonstration of innovation applications such as digital pathology and smart customer service called Chang Gung APO. 

THE LARGER TREND

In 2022, CGMH sought alignment with international standards for smart hospitals by getting assessed for the HIMSS Digital Health Indicator. That year, it ranked second highest globally. 

Following its latest validations, the hospital is aiming for a Stage 7 INFRAM validation soon. 

"Our institution will continue investing in smart healthcare, AI big data and AIoT, Internet of Things, structured medical records, telemedicine, digital medical imaging, data analytics maturity, FHIR, and other areas to improve the human-centric and interoperable dimensions of digital health," said Professor Cherng Wen-Jin, chairman of the Chang Gung Steering Committee, about CGMH's future digital investment priorities. 

"We will also actively invest in information security measures to guarantee the strictest protection of patient privacy," he added.

ON THE RECORD

Speaking on the importance of getting revalidated for the HIMSS Digital Maturity models, CGMH superintendent Dr Chien-tzung Chen, told Healthcare IT News:

"The revalidation of Stage 7 HIMSS EMRAM represents our commitment and dedication to continuously elevate the level of healthcare information management. With the rapid advancement of technology, healthcare information management is no longer merely a supportive tool but a crucial factor in enhancing the quality of medical services. Our institution sees revalidation as an opportunity for continuous improvement, ensuring that our digital healthcare system remains synchronised with international peer standards and technologies.

"The importance of revalidation lies firstly in the self-assessment of quality and efficiency by healthcare institutions. Through re-evaluating our digital healthcare system, including patient data security, EMR management, medical decision support systems, and patient-centred care concepts, we not only identify potential areas for improvement but also enhance the efficiency and quality of healthcare services.

"Secondly, revalidation demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest quality of service, striving for excellence continuously rather than settling for the status quo. Patients benefit from more advanced and secure healthcare information management services.

"Overall, revalidation is not only a challenging process but also a demonstration of commitment and pursuit of excellence. It sets a new benchmark for healthcare information management in Taiwan."

Meanwhile, Dr Wen Ming-Shien, chairman of HIMSS Certification Promotion at CGMH-Linkou, explained the benefits of getting validated for the HIMSS INFRAM:

"Achieving INFRAM 6 certification signifies international recognition of our institution's maturity and operational excellence in information infrastructure within the healthcare environment. 

"Through the process of INFRAM 6 certification, hospitals have the opportunity to comprehensively assess key gaps and potential risks in their IT infrastructure architecture. By optimising the infrastructure within the organisation, we can mitigate network and infrastructure risks, streamline infrastructure management, and enhance cybersecurity protection. Through communication collaboration and data centre integration, we aim to create a patient-centred healthcare environment, ultimately improving the quality of healthcare services. 

"Attaining INFRAM Stage 6 is a significant achievement and prepares us adequately for pursuing Stage 7."