Two Saudi Arabian hospitals in the Al Mouwasat group have achieved the highest level of the HIMSS Electronic Medical Records Adoption Model (EMRAM).

The hospitals in Jubail and Madinah have been validated at Stage 7 of the eight-stage EMRAM model, which scores hospitals from 0-7 relative to their inpatient electronic medical records (EMR) capabilities.

All six of the Al Mouwasat Medical Services Company hospitals in Saudi Arabia have now been awarded Stage 7 of the EMRAM.

During the assessment in August, it was noted the hospitals had revised business continuity plans, as well as improving alerts and warnings and the integration of medical devices in the intensive care units. 

The hospitals were assisted by investment in the Dedalus Enterprise Management (EM) system in 2016. This solution helps to eliminate inefficiencies by connecting information such as patient demographics, clinical data and financial reports. 

WHY IT MATTERS

Hospitals achieving Stage 7 of EMRAM are typically associated with higher levels of patient safety, an increase in the overall quality of clinical care and improved patient and staff satisfaction. 

THE LARGER CONTEXT 

The first Al Mouwasat hospital to be awarded EMRAM Stage 7 was the Al Khobar hospital in September 2020. This was followed by the hospitals in Riyadh, Dammam and Qatif, which achieved the award in March 2021. 

Elsewhere in the region, the Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, Al Khobar was awarded Stage 7 in February. 

ON THE RECORD

Thamer Al Momani, chief information officer, Al Mouwasat, said: “It’s really great to be accredited with HIMSS Stage 7. For us, it shows that we are playing at the top of the game in healthcare and quality. Our clinical staff are aligned on how to implement the best practices across all streams related to the patient experience. We have created a culture where our staff are more aware on how to keep the continuous enhancement up and running, which has resulted in significant outcomes.”

John Rayner, regional director, EMEA & Asia Pacific, HIMSS said: “Stage 7 is quite rightly not easy, it is only achieved through dedication, the ability to adapt and accept feedback and pure hard work. This group has been able to standardise systems and workflows across all six hospitals and has created a learning environment for itself along the way. I would now hope that through working with others they can encourage the sharing of clinical data amongst doctors, nurses, patients and carers in order to further stimulate service improvement efforts and digital transformation programmes.”

Phil Humber, managing director of Dedalus Middle East and Africa, said: “Al Mouwasat have demonstrated their forward thinking and relentless drive for healthcare delivery excellence. As their technology partner, we are thrilled to have been a key component of that journey.”