By Chris Engelhardt
Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens in Astoria was honored last week by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society for its electronic medical records system.
The hospital received a “Stage 6” designation June 25, making it one of only 518 of the more than 5,300 hospitals in the country tracked by HIMSS Analytics to reach that status. Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens now ranks in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the country for the adoption of electronic medical records.
HIMSS Analytics, a non-profit subsidiary of HIMSS, collects and analyzes health care data related to information technology processes and health care trends.
The recognition comes following the completion of the Epic Electronic Medical Record program at Mount Sinai in April, the second major phase of the hospital’s $120 million EMR rollout.
According to HIMSS, a Stage 6 designation indicates that a hospital has almost fully automated or paperless medical records. It also means that a hospital has begun to use information technology to improve the patient safety environment, and is well-positioned to provide data to key stakeholders, such as the government, physicians, consumers and employers.
“We thank HIMSS for recognizing our comprehensive efforts in the implementation of Epic EMR,” Caryn Schwab, executive director of Mount Sinai Queens, said. “Our IT and medical staff will continue to work with Mount Sinai leadership towards achieving even greater levels of EMR integration with the single goal of continuing to provide efficient, patient-centered medical care.”
City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) said he was pleased by the news and described the hospital as a prestigious medical center that has continued to serve the community well over time.
“I am very proud of all the great work being done at Mount Sinai Queens,” he said, “and it is my honor to provide funding for cutting-edge technology for the hospital.”
Mount Sinai previously received the prestigious Davies Award of Excellence from HIMSS in recognition of its EMR system. In 2012, the hospital was also named to the “Most Connected” list by U.S. News & World Report as a national medical institution recognized for clinical excellence and its use of digital technology.
Reach reporter Chris Engelhardt by e-mail at cengelhardt@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
