Published on: 02/18/2026
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has earned HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 Validation for inpatient services, the highest level of recognition on the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model, reaffirming the health system’s continued leadership in the use of technology to support high-quality, patient-centered care.
The validation, awarded by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate advanced use of electronic medical records, data analytics and clinical decision support to improve patient outcomes, safety and operational efficiency.
Nicklaus Children’s first achieved HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 recognition for inpatient services in 2016. The 2026 validation reaffirms the hospital’s Stage 7 status across its inpatient setting, reflecting sustained excellence and continued innovation across the health system.
“This achievement underscores our long-standing commitment to leveraging technology and data in meaningful ways to enhance care for children and families,” said Michelle Hurtarte, CIO at Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “Maintaining Stage 7 validation across inpatient and ambulatory services requires continuous improvement, strong clinical collaboration and a shared focus on delivering safe, efficient and connected care.”
HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 organizations demonstrate advanced interoperability, robust analytics, closed-loop medication administration, and measurable improvements in quality, safety and efficiency. At Nicklaus Children’s, these capabilities support clinical and operational performance across the continuum of care, including optimized patient length of stay and enhanced care coordination.
With this validation, Nicklaus Children’s joins a select group of healthcare organizations worldwide that have reached the highest level of electronic medical record adoption and are using information and technology to drive transformational change across all aspects of care delivery.