Investigating The General Situation In The World And In Turkey About The Use Of HIMMS-EMRAM Model Through The Digitalization Process Of Hospitals

Abstract

With the beginning of the information era, technological developments in the world has affected health sector and made the adaptation of the sector to the globalizing and digitalizing life obligatory. Digitalizing efforts in the health sector attract attention all over the world however adequate criteria has not been generated for the measurement of digitalization with specified standards. Developed by HIMMS, EMRAM (Electronic Medical Record Adaptation Model) has become an important pathfinder by bringing a set of standards for the digitalization process in the health sector. This well-accepted model all over the world, has lead the development of country-specific new models in different parts of the world. The aim of this study is to evaluate and analyze the digitalization process of hospitals in Turkey whether it fits to HIMMS-EMRAM standards and also investigate the general situation in the world. In this study the general situation of hospitals and hospital information management systems conforming to HIMMS-EMRAM standards has been analyzed in the world and in Turkish context. Research studies has been listed and evaluated after searching “HIMMS”, “EMRAM” keywords in PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus databases and “e-health”, “digital hospital”, “hospital information systems” from Google Scholar database. Results of this study reveal that very important steps has been taken after the year 2012 about the digitalization of hospitals in Turkey and this process has shown rapid development until today to reach up the top ranks either in Europe or around the world. The acceleration of the digitalization process has been supported by strategic plans formed within the scope of the “Paperless hospital” project conducted by Ministry of Health and workshops, conferences and trainings carried out jointly with HIMMS Organization.