The Seoul National University Bundang Hospital in Seoul, South Korea was recently validated for Phase 6 of the classic HIMSS Analytics model for maturity assessment.
AMAM measures an organization’s capabilities and progress in healthcare analytics. A new, modernized version of this model – called AMAM24 – was launched at the recently concluded HIMSS24 APAC conference.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
SNUBH credits its latest achievement to the fact that its previous experiences have been validated four times for Phase 7 of the HIMSS Model for adoption of electronic health records. The Office of Hospital Information’s Data Convergence team led this process, ensuring close collaboration between the medical informatics and hospital operations teams.
One of the highlights of the validation is the CDW 3.0, an improved version of a clinical data warehouse that the hospital had been using for ten years. SNUBH began this upgrade two years ago to “create an advanced, open-source data warehouse equipped with machine learning capabilities.”
Following the launch of CDW 3.0 in October last year, SNUBH staff reported an increase in data retrieval and analysis speed using the system. The CDW now has a user-friendly interface that allows step-by-step definition of patient cohorts. It also streamlines data visualization; improves data security with masking and anonymization modules; standardizes unstructured data and aligns it with international standard codes; and provides a single source of learning resources, including predefined datasets for ML/AI research.
In their validation, HIMSS noted that the consolidated CDW was “accessible, convenient and user-friendly.” “This makes it an incredibly powerful tool for executives and clinicians to view, understand and analyze data, and generate insights to improve clinical care and organizational performance,” said Andrew Pearce, HIMSS VP of Analytics and Global Advisory Lead.
Validators also praised SNUBH for tracking and reporting more than 200 indicators through various dashboards. An example of this is the dashboard for the Rapid Response System (RRS). The hospital first established the RRS in 2012 to address common delays in responding to patient deterioration.
The RRS is now in its second phase of implementation and operates 24 hours a day with 15 nurses. The hospital noted a “significant reduction” in the number of resuscitation events on general wards over a decade since the system was first activated. Another notable improvement is the RRS dashboard that enables rapid transfer of patients to the ICU.
Additionally, during its AMAM validation, SNUBH demonstrated the implementation of an AI-based ECG interpretation tool on its HIS, which is now used to generate quantitative risk assessments of cardiac events and help diagnose arrhythmias and other related emergencies.
The project aims to tackle delays in detecting heart problems and enable personalized treatment plans to be drawn up. Based on a test pilot prior to initial integration in April this year, the AI tool demonstrated proficiency in rhythm analysis and classification of 10 identified digital biomarkers.
Following clinical integration, SNUBH physicians highlighted the device’s ability to diagnose severe hyperkalemia early. Evaluation studies are underway to further prove its effectiveness.
Following this AMAM validation, SNUBH is moving forward with plans to strengthen its enterprise data warehouse and improve its operational data analytics capabilities, with a focus on post-monitoring systems to integrate the analytical lifecycle – which is now part of the modernized AMAM.
THE BIG TREND
Fellow Korean hospital, Samsung Medical Center became the first hospital in Asia Pacific to be validated for Phase 7 of the HIMSS AMAM in May. It was also the first in the region to achieve phase 6 last year.
Outside South Korea, The China Medical University Hospital of Taiwan is also currently validated for Phase 6 HIMSS AMAM.
Meanwhile, SNUBH underwent its fourth validation for the HIMSS EMRAM late last year. The hospital was the for the first time outside the United States to be validated in 2010 for phase 7 of this model.
ON THE RECORD
“SNUBH has consistently built its data analytics capabilities, which have been progressively validated through our previous four EMRAM certifications. I am pleased that we have reaffirmed our data analytics competency through this AMAM Stage 6 certification. This achievement not only recognizes our current capabilities but also sets the stage for our continued progress in leveraging data for better healthcare and operational excellence,” said Dr. Junghan Song, president and CEO of SNUBH, in a statement.
“We specifically chose HIMSS AMAM validation to strengthen our data-driven decision-making capabilities and evaluate the current state of our data-related platforms. SNUBH has evolved along with HIMSS certifications and we are committed to continuing this journey into the future. As highlighted .at HIMSS APAC 2024, the newly modernized AMAM validation is well designed. Through this framework, we once again strive to drive innovation in data-driven decision making in both our clinical and operational domains,” said Dr. Seyoung Jung, CIO of SNUBH also comments.