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Ng Teng Fong General Hospital Achieves HIMSS Analytics EMRAM Stage 6 Award

Singapore, 7 September 2015 - HIMSS Analytics Asia Pacific announced today that Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH), which is managed by JurongHealth has achieved HIMSS EMRAM Stage 6, in collaboration with Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS), the Health Ministry's IT arm that manages information technology and innovations at all public healthcare institutions. The EMRAM award is an international benchmark for the use of advanced IT to improve patient care. JurongHealth and IHiS implemented a fully integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system that enables multiple aspects of clinical care documentation, delivery and reporting to be merged at NTFGH to deliver seamless care.

Said Mr Foo Hee Jug, Chief Executive Officer, JurongHealth: "We are honoured to receive this recognition. Designed to be patient-centred and operationally streamlined, technology was a key area we had harnessed right from the start, to facilitate information integration for a seamless healthcare system with the aim to deliver safe care to benefit our patients and their caregivers. NTFGH opened on 30 June 2015 and we know we still have much work ahead of us to not only deliver safe and quality patient care but also to stay abreast of the advances in technology so that we can continue to leverage IT for higher productivity and good patient care."

Dr Chong Yoke Sin, CEO, IHIS, shared: "We are delighted that IHiS is able to support NTFGH in achieving HIMSS EMRAM Stage 6 in such a short time. Setting up the IT infrastructure for a hospital usually involves complex customisation and high integration between multiple machines and equipment from all over the world. At NTFGH, we not only implemented complex solutions but also explored and vigorously tested new systems and technologies that were new to Singapore, to achieve a near paper-less, film-less, chart-less, and script-less environment that would deliver seamless patient care. All these achieve higher efficiencies, enhance job satisfaction of our healthcare professionals as well as enhance the patient experience. This is part of our larger goal to align with Singapore's Smart Nation vision."
John Daniels, Global Vice President, Healthcare, Advisory Services Group, HIMSS Analytics said: "The closed-loop medication administration process with IPAS, designed by NTFGH nurses, is a great example for other hospitals to study, particularly their use of locked patient-specific drawers on the mobile medication cart to ensure medical safety; the locked drawer would open only when the nurse scans the patient's barcoded wristband at the bedside. NTFGH also has an impressive disaster recovery/business continuity strategy and they have integrated multiple medical devices with the EMR beyond just vitals monitors. I fully expect they will be ready for a Stage 7 validation very soon."

Smart technologies implemented at NTFGH include:

  • Vendor neutral Medical Devices Middleware Integration System - integrate and transmits medical data from various medical devices into the EMR, eliminate manual charting into the EMR, and reduces charting errors;
  • Daily Operations Dashboard - pulls data from different systems and provides a one-stop information dashboard and a centralised overview of real-time key indicators for the Emergency Department, Outpatient Clinics, Inpatient Wards, Surgery areas. The system also enables analysis and comparison of daily, weekly, or monthly statistics for monitoring and support timely operational and management decision-making;
  • Electronic Patient Information Board - replaces paper notes and enables clinicians and nurses to view essential information on patient conditions without separate retrieval of patient records;
  • Queue Management System - a single number chit that captures the patient itinerary for the day from point of registration to payment;
  • Real Time Location Tracking System - automatic tracking of patient movements between departments, transfers, and discharges. Also used for asset tracking for quick access to critical mobile medical equipment for maintenance or in civil emergencies;
  • Warehouse Management System (using RFID, scans and PDAs) - eliminates tedious manual stock counting and allows faster turnaround of stock supply to improve inventory management and fulfilment;
  • eContent Distribution System and WayFinding kiosks - uses maps and animation to direct visitors and displays listing of doctors, services, and announcements.

HIMSS EMRAM
HIMSS Analytics developed the EMR Adoption Model in 2005 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics® Database. Tracking their progress in completing eight stages (0-7), hospitals can review the implementation and utilisation of information technology applications with the intent of reaching Stage 7, which represents an advanced electronic patient record environment. Currently, there are 25 acute care facilities in Asia Pacific at Stage 6 and three at Stage 7. This award makes NTFGH the ninth public healthcare institution in Singapore to achieve Stage 6. Visit www.himssanalyticsasia.org for more information on the Stage 6 award.

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For media enquiries and interviews, please contact:

Melissa Leong
Marketing and Strategic Relations Manager
HIMSS Asia Pacific
D: +65 6664 1182
E:

Yvonne Choo
Senior Manager, Communications
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
DID: 6716 5849
E:

Jean Louise Lee
Deputy Director, Communications
Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS)
D: 65941697 HP: 97313021
E:

About HIMSS

About Integrated Health Information System (IHiS)

IHiS architects and manages highly integrated systems across Singapore's public healthcare sector, supporting more than 40,000 healthcare staff at all public hospitals, national specialty centres and polyclinics. It transforms patient care through innovation and excellence in technology.

IHiS has garnered more than 60 awards for its smart technologies, and played a key role in seven Singapore hospitals becoming amongst the first public institutions in Asia Pacific to achieve HIMSS EMRAM Stage 6, an international benchmark for advanced technology used in patient care. For more information, visit www.ihis.com.sg

About Jurong Health Services

Jurong Health Services (JurongHealth) is Singapore's public healthcare cluster formed to facilitate the integration of services and care processes for the community in the west. Working with partners such as healthcare providers like General Practitioners, polyclinics, community hospitals, long term care providers and voluntary welfare associations, we aim to bring health and wellness one step closer to home.

JurongHealth is managing the new integrated healthcare hub comprising the 700-bed Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and 400-bed Jurong Community Hospital to provide holistic care for patients. The two new hospitals are an integral part of the Jurong Lake District Masterplan, with easy access to public transport services (Jurong East MRT Station, Jurong East Bus Interchange) and retail/ entertainment hubs. JurongHealth is also managing Jurong Medical Centre, a one-stop healthcare centre providing a range of quality and affordable specialist services and community health support services for residents in the west.

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For press inquiries, contact:
Melissa Leong
Marketing and Strategic Relations Manager
Email:
Direct: +65 6664 1182