Mackenzie Health reaches EMRAM Stage 7

RICHMOND HILL, Ont. – Mackenzie Health has become the first Canadian acute-care hospital with an emergency department and intensive care unit to receive the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) Stage 7 certification. This achievement recognizes the hospital’s adoption of digital health solutions that help deliver on its promise of world-class, safe and efficient care for its growing community.

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) runs the EMRAM program, which ranks the use and effectiveness of information system in hospitals on a scale of 0 to 7.

“This exciting achievement recognizes and celebrates the important role of innovation in empowering high-quality and safe patient care in a busy hospital environment,” said Richard Tam (pictured), executive vice president and chief administrative officer, Mackenzie Health. “We appreciate the support and leadership of Mackenzie Health’s staff, physicians, volunteers, health care professionals, patients and digital health partners as we look towards a ‘smart’ hospital future.”

In July 2017, Mackenzie Health first launched its EMR – a full-suite of Epic applications – as part of its vision for creating a world-class health experience. The introduction of this system has had a transformative effect for the patient right from the moment of hospital entry, such as:

• Self-Serve Patient Registration Kiosk: New digital kiosks at Mackenzie Health reduce registration time for patients and families by more than 16 minutes.
• MyChart: Secure online connection to your personal medical records helps empower patients in their own care. More than 23,445 patients have signed up for MyChart.

Notably, Stage 7 certification signifies that Mackenzie Health has fully-implemented a paperless environment through Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and digital health solutions that benefit the patient experience and care delivery. This includes:

• Improved patient safety and prevention of errors through technology-enabled bedside product administration, which ensures the right product is given to the right patient (greater than or equal to 95 percent barcode medication administration, breast milk scanning and blood scanning).
• Clear and efficient computerizing ordering eliminates deciphering handwriting and increases ordering accuracy.
• Electronic viewing helps clinicians view all areas of a patient chart securely with timely paper scanning within 24 hours.
• Integrated voice recognition with electronic documentation in the Emergency Department helps maximize speed and efficiency.

About Mackenzie Health
Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional healthcare provider which includes the existing Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, as well as a comprehensive network of community-based services. In March 2017, the organization received its second consecutive award of Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for its commitment to safety and quality patient care. This is the highest rating a Canadian health care provider can receive. Guided by a vision to create a world-class health experience, Mackenzie Health has an unrelenting focus on the patient and is dedicated to patient needs now and in the future. With over 500,000 residents in Southwest York Region, Mackenzie Health is proud to serve one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada. For more information, please visit mackenziehealth.ca.