A Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society subsidiary recognized Bethlehem, Pa.-based St. Luke's University Health Network for its EMR initiatives June 7.
St. Luke's earned Stage 7 on the HIMSS Analytics EMR Adoption Model for its improvements in patient care and cost reduction. Stage 7 is the highest designation in the eight-stage EMR Adoption Model, which measures the degree to which a hospital or health system utilizes its EMR functions. Less than 5 percent of U.S. hospitals have reached this top level.
The new designation applies to all St. Luke's hospitals, including its Phillipsburg, N.J.-based St. Luke's Warren Campus, which was the first hospital in New Jersey to reach Stage 7.
St. Luke's officials highlighted the system's paperless operations. "This certification reflects the deep commitment of St. Luke's physicians, nurses and clinical staff to using the full extent of the electronic medical record to improve patient care," said James Balshi, MD, chief medical information officer at St. Luke's.