Hospitals Recognized as Nation’s 100 Most Wired

    INHS information technology network streamlines physician access to

                                information



    SPOKANE, Wash., July 17 /EMWNews/ -- Connecting physicians and

patients through wired and wireless networks earned 18 hospitals the

distinction of being among the most technologically advanced hospitals in

the country, according to Hospitals and Health Networks magazine. Hospitals

and Health Networks surveyed more than 1,327 hospitals to name the "100

Most Wired" hospitals in the 2008 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study.



    Three hospitals received separate Most Wired recognition including

Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho for Most Wired and Most

Wireless, Mason General Hospital in Shelton, Washington for Most Wired --

Small and Rural, and Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Washington for

Most Wired. The additional 15 hospitals were grouped into regions under

Inland Northwest Health Services for purposes of the 2008 Most Wired

recognition.



    Most Wired hospitals are connected by Inland Northwest Health Services

(INHS). INHS connects 38 hospitals through a health information technology

network, which allows physicians and healthcare staff to securely access

patient information utilizing wired and wireless technology. The INHS

health information technology network includes more than 4,000 physicians,

450 clinics and physician offices and 2.8 million electronic medical

records.



    "INHS continues to transform regional health care systems through the

creative application of information technology and the strategic use of

shared services," said Tom Fritz, Chief Executive Officer of Inland

Northwest Health Services. "Our success is due to hospitals and physicians'

willingness to adopt and embrace health information technology. Those

hospitals and staff are now being recognized for their continuing efforts

in adopting these applications and technology."



    Information is stored in an integrated database managed by INHS. It

currently stores more than 2.8 million patient records and includes all

data associated with hospital inpatient and emergency room visits including

physician orders, medication information, laboratory data, and radiological

images. Physicians can access patient information from any location at any

time, allowing more time to spend with patients, and less time filling out

paperwork.



    Inland Northwest Health Services, non-profit corporation sponsored by

Deaconess Medical Center, Holy Family Hospital, Sacred Heart Medical Center

and Valley Hospital and Medical Center in Spokane, Washington for providing

collaboration in health care services. INHS companies and services include

Information Resource Management, St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute,

Northwest MedStar, Northwest TeleHealth, and additional services. For more

information, visit http://www.inhs.org.