2012 Most Wired Hospital Survey Released

The American Hospital Association (AHA) conducts a survey each year in cooperation with McKesson Corporation, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), and the American Hospital Association. From the survey the list of the Most Wired Hopitals are compiled. These hospitals are leveraging EHR adoption and health IT to improve performance in several areas including privacy of patient data, optimizing patient flow, and overall patient communication. This years lists are Most Wired, Most Wired – Smal and Rural, and Most Improved.

From their press release these are among the key finding of this year’s survey:

• Ninety-three percent of Most Wired hospitals employ intrusion detection systems to protect patient privacy and security of patient data, in comparison to seventy-seven percent of the total responders.
• Seventy-four percent of Most Wired hospitals and fifty-seven percent of all surveyed hospitals use automated patient flow systems.
• Ninety percent of Most Wired hospitals and seventy three percent of all surveyed use performance improvement scorecards to help reduce inefficiencies.
• One hundred percent of Most Wired hospitals check drug interactions and drug allergies when medications are ordered as a major step in reducing medication errors

“As shown by these survey results, hospitals continue to demonstrate how IT not only can be used to improve patient care and safety but it is also a means to improve efficiency,” says Rich Umbdenstock, President and CEO of the AHA.
“Equipping caregivers with the information needed to drive quality, safety and efficiency will continue to be an imperative as the challenges facing health systems grow increasingly complex,” says Pat Blake, president, McKesson Technology Solutions. “The effective use of health IT, including actionable analytics and connectivity, can be a strategic lever as hospitals and health systems work to drive better outcomes while managing capacity, reducing costs, and coordinating care across multiple settings and caregivers.”

Of note, nearly one half of Most Wired hospitals utilize social media for community outreach and crisis communication compared to one-third of total respondents. More than 25 percent offer care management messages and chats with physicians.

Hospitals & Health Networks Cover Story this month is 2012 Most Wired. See their coverage on the winners since 1999.

About the AHA
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is the national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and communities. Close to 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 42,000 individual members come together to form the AHA. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends.