Unity Health achieves high HIMSS standings

TORONTO – Unity Health Toronto has achieved two prestigious international designations that recognize the organization as a global leader in using advanced digital tools, data and analytics to improve quality, safety and patient outcomes.

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) employs maturity models that help health care organizations assess and improve technology use.

Unity Health has achieved Stage 6 validation on the HIMSS Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) 6 – a measure of how well a hospital uses electronic medical records to support patients and clinicians – and Stage 6 validation on the HIMSS Analytics Maturity Assessment Model (AMAM) – a measure of an organization’s analytics and data governance.

“This achievement demonstrates how Unity Health is using digital tools to make care more connected, transparent and data-driven,” said Altaf Stationwala (pictured), president and CEO of Unity Health.

“Through our new patient portal, MyChart, powered by Epic, patients and families can access information about their care, while behind the scenes, our teams are using data and analytics to support quality improvement, strengthen safety and guide operational decisions that benefit both patients and staff.”

This is the first time that all three Unity Health sites have been recognized at EMRAM Stage 6 – the second-highest level – and the first time that any Unity Health site has achieved the AMAM validation.

Unity Health is the first organization in North America to achieve this designation under the newest version of the AMAM maturity model, which emphasizes future-ready analytics and artificial intelligence.

“Achieving both EMRAM Stage 6 and AMAM Stage 6 within one year of go-live is a rare accomplishment,” said Dr. Jill Seys, senior director of analytics at HIMSS. “Unity Health has demonstrated strong clinical leadership, effective governance, and a clear commitment to using digital tools and analytics to improve patient care, safety, and operational performance.”

During the validation process, Unity Health showcased how Epic has helped reduce more than 7,000 unnecessary needle pokes for patients each month. This improvement is driven by a lab add-on program, which allows clinicians to add tests to existing samples, rather than ordering new blood draws – saving time, reducing discomfort, and improving efficiency.

Alerts are essential for patient safety, but too many can cause ‘alert fatigue,’ which makes critical messages harder to spot. Unity Health demonstrated how it streamlined its alert logic, eliminating over three million unnecessary notifications each month, helping clinicians focus on what truly matters.

“This recognition is a testament to the thousands of staff and physicians across Unity Health who have embraced our EPR system and use it every day to deliver safe, high-quality care,” said Damian Jankowicz, executive vice president, chief information and AI officer at Unity Health. “Reaching HIMSS Stage 6 confirms that our digital investments are making a real difference for patients and teams, and it lays the foundation for the next phase of our work.”

Unity Health has its eyes set on HIMSS Stage 7 – the highest designation. Organizations that achieve Stage 7 demonstrate full optimization of their electronic medical record, advanced use of data and analytics and measurable improvements in outcomes across patient populations.

By Victoria Pelletier