Patient Satisfaction Higher at Most Wired Hospitals

    CHICAGO, July 15 /EMWNews/ -- The 100 Most Wired hospitals show

better outcomes in patient satisfaction, risk-adjusted mortality rates and

other key quality measures through the use of information technology (IT),

according to a new analysis. Marking its 10th year, the Most Wired Survey

and Benchmarking Study continues to lead the field in analyses and

benchmarking of healthcare IT.



    "Health IT has shown incredible promise in helping us improve the

quality and safety of the care hospitals deliver every day," said Rich

Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association. "The

results of the Most Wired survey confirm that today's patient also

understands the benefits of IT in improving care and improving the overall

hospital experience."



    "Today's results add to the growing evidence that the appropriate use

of IT can enhance both quality and patient satisfaction," said Alden

Solovy, executive editor of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. "Most

Wired hospitals are proving the fundamental value of information

technology."



    The analysis shows that better outcomes occur among high tech

hospitals, but it does not establish a direct causal relationship between

technology and outcomes. The satisfaction analysis was conducted jointly

with Press Ganey Associates and the quality analysis was conducted jointly

with Thomson Healthcare.



    "Quality and satisfaction are often tied to key initiatives and goals

that hospitals are striving towards through the use of technology and

process improvement," said Merrie Wallace, R.N., vice president and

solution line manager, McKesson Provider Technologies. "The most successful

hospitals use technology as part of an overall strategy and achieve

significant results. Those that just deploy technology for technology's

sake don't see these types of results."



    Lydon Neumann, senior executive at Accenture LLC, agreed that

investment in information technology needs to be coupled with other

hospital or system-wide efforts to drive exceptional results. "Most Wired

hospitals excel in many ways but a strong investment in and commitment to

information technology are characteristic of leaders who are looking at all

of the elements needed to be a high-performing organization," Neumann said.



    "An investment in information technology demonstrates the

organizational commitment to patients, caregivers, physicians and

clinicians, staff and administration," said Neumann. "It indicates a

willingness to invest in areas that advance organizational effectiveness."



    The Most Wired Survey is conducted annually by Hospitals & Health

Networks magazine, the journal of the American Hospital Association, which

uses the results to name the 100 Most Wired hospitals and health systems.

It focuses on how the nation's hospitals use information technologies for

quality, customer service, public health and safety, business processes and

workforce issues.



    Hospitals & Health Networks conducted the 2008 survey in cooperation

with Accenture, McKesson Corp. and the College of Healthcare Information

Management Executives. The July H&HN cover story detailing results is

available at http://www.hhnmag.com.

    About the Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study



    Hospitals & Health Networks, the journal of the American Hospital

Association, conducts the voluntary Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking

Study annually and names the 100 Most Wired.



    Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and

outsourcing company.



    McKesson Corporation is the world's largest healthcare services,

technology and automation company.



    CHIME was formed with the dual objective of serving the professional

development needs of healthcare chief information officers and advocating

the more effective use of information management within health care.






     For information contact:

     Sarah B. Brown

     Health Forum

     (312) 893-6894

     [email protected]