UW Medicine recognized for hospitals' digital healthcare

Fully optimizing electronic medical record systems mean safer, faster and more coordinated patient care, the clinical informatics leader says.

FS Productions / Getty Images A nurse talks to a patient in a hospital bed while typing on a computer. UW Medicine was honored for its effective use of electronic medical records to improve patient care.

UW Medicine in Seattle has earned the highest possible validation from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society for its adoption of electronic medical records at Harborview Medical Center and University of Washington Medical Center’s Montlake and Northwest campuses. 

The validation is based on an eight-stage (0-7) model that evaluates how effectively hospitals use electronic medical records and other digital systems to improve patient care and safety, clinician support, data security, clinical outcomes and organizational performance.

Across Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho and Oregon, UW Medicine’s hospitals stand alone in achieving the highest validation, according to Dr. Todd Burstain, chief clinical informatics officer, UW Medicine Information Technology Services. The designation places UW Medicine among a small group of hospitals worldwide that have reached this level of digital transformation, he added. The reviewers independently reviewed UW Medicine’s practices and found clinical information flowed seamlessly across the organization, data was used to support real-time decision-making at hospital bedsides, and digital tools improved care delivery, patient outcomes and organizational financial performance. "For our clinicians, this means having the right information at the right time to make better decisions,” Burstain said. “For our patients, it means safer care, fewer delays and a more coordinated healthcare experience.” Burstain said the achievement reflects years of collaboration among clinicians, nurses, pharmacists, informaticists, operational leaders and technology teams. 

Written by Colleen Steelquist.

News and Photo provided by UW Medicine/Newsroom