MetroHealth Recognized for Digital Innovation and Excellence

The MetroHealth System is among an elite group of just three health systems worldwide to be recognized for setting the highest standards in electronic health record excellence, digital innovation and end-user provider satisfaction.

This honor comes in the form of the Synergy Award, presented by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and KLAS Research.

“We’re using technology to make care better, easier and more connected for our patients – and to give our clinicians the tools they need to do their best work,” said Nabil Chehade, MD, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Clinical Transformation, Innovation and Strategy Officer at MetroHealth. “This award is a tribute to the incredible teamwork and dedication across our organization to make these systems work for the people who matter most.”

The Synergy Award combines two accomplishments:

• KLAS Pinnacle Award: MetroHealth is one of only six organizations worldwide to receive the 2025 EHR Experience Pinnacle Award for Physicians – a reflection of the System's commitment to collaborating with front-line caregivers to improve clinician satisfaction and patient care through thoughtful use of its EHR.
• CHIME Digital Health Most Wired Level 9 or above: MetroHealth achieved Level 10 status in the 2025 Digital Health Most Wired (DHMW) survey – the highest possible designation. MetroHealth is the only health system in Northeast Ohio and one of two in Ohio to achieve Level 10 honors. The Most Wired program measures how effectively health systems leverage technology to improve patient outcomes, enhance efficiencies and elevate the care experience.

MetroHealth was the first safety-net health system in the country to begin implementing the Epic EHR platform. The organization signed its agreement with Epic in 1998 and introduced the system in its outpatient facilities the following year. By 2004, Epic was in use in the Emergency Department, and by 2009, it had expanded to inpatient units.

Today, MetroHealth is recognized among the top 1% of health systems for EHR adoption and utilization, having achieved HIMSS Stage 7 validation – the highest level of excellence in electronic health record implementation.

MetroHealth’s other digital health achievements include:

• Being one of only 14 health systems named to Epic’s Honor Roll seven times, placing the health system among the top 3% of customers of the electronic health record platform. MetroHealth is also one of only eight health systems to earn summa cum laude status on Epic’s Honor Roll in 2025.
• Earning Epic Gold Stars Level 9 for its EHR, placing the organization among a select group of top performers committed to enhancing access to quality, connected healthcare. Epic’s Gold Stars program highlights how organizations are adopting advanced features and making the most of their EHR.
• Serving as an early adopter of several Epic products, including Cosmos, the largest set of aggregated EHR data in the world. MetroHealth was the first health system to sign-up for Cosmos, the first to contribute data and first to publish research using Cosmos.
• Launching Ovatient, in partnership with MUSC Health, to bring virtual-first care to more communities. Ovatient partners with health systems to offer convenient and coordinated virtual care, including primary care, urgent care and integrated behavioral health.