Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc) has been recognised by HIMSS for its digital maturity.

The Netherlands-based centre was awarded Stage 7, the highest level of the eight-stage model EMRAM model, which scores hospitals from 0-7 relative to their inpatient electronic medical records (EMR) capabilities. It has held Stage 7 of the EMRAM for the last seven years and was validated for the second time on 10 February 2022.

WHY IT MATTERS

Radboudumc specialises in tertiary care, scientific research, teaching and training, with a mission to have a significant impact on healthcare worldwide.

HIMSS assessors John Rayner and Mariam Shokralla noted that the centre had made significant progress since the last HIMSS visit. It has extended the built estate and developed and deployed its digitally enabled transformation programme into a new children’s ‘smart’ hospital.

The new paediatric facility is packed with features designed to increase patient safety and the overall quality of clinical care for both the patient and their carers. 

Radboudumc’s chief finance officer (CFO) Mark Janssen, who has board-level responsibility for finance, technology and innovation, has a special interest in cybersecurity and sees the investment in technology as a key enabler to the hospital’s success in the future.

THE LARGER CONTEXT 

Meanwhile this year, Dar Al Shifa Hospital (DASH) in Kuwait was awarded Stage 6 on both the EMRAM and the O-EMRAM, which measures an institution’s outpatient capabilities. The Almoosa Specialist Hospital in Saudia Arabia was also validated at Stage 7 of the EMRAM late in 2021.        

ON THE RECORD

Dr Jacqueline de Leeuw, Radboudumc chief nursing informatics officer (CNIO), said: “Radboudumc has held an EMRAM Stage 7 title since 2015 and has now been revalidated for the second time. Currently, we are the only organisation in Europe to have retained a Stage 7 award for such a period – this makes us very proud. The hospital is a digital front runner in the Netherlands and in Europe and our HIMSS motto is ‘always improving towards 7-UP’. Radboudumc uses the HIMSS maturity models as a means to digitally transform healthcare and this latest recognition is proof that progress in this important area continues.”

John Rayner, regional director analytics, EMEA, HIMSS, said: “This is a special hospital that has an overwhelming desire to do the right thing, despite facing difficulty and challenge. When I visited this hospital four years ago, they had over 900 beds, they now have 600. They have embraced ambulatory and out of hospital care, the need for timely elective admission and speedy post-operative discharge. Despite holding a Stage 7 title for nearly eight years they continue to progress and raise the bar. 

“All the doctors, nurses, managers and board members demonstrate an undying commitment to innovation, the highest standards of patient care, research and education. The new paediatric hospital uses technology to empower patents their families and those who care for them.”