MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Eight WVU Medicine hospitals – Berkeley Medical Center, Camden Clark Medical Center, Jefferson Medical Center, J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, Potomac Valley Hospital, Reynolds Memorial Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and United Hospital Center – have been named to the 2018 College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) HealthCare’s Most Wired list.
Hospitals and health systems at the forefront of using healthcare information technology (IT) to improve the delivery of care have maximized the benefits of foundational technologies and are embracing new technologies that support population management and value-based care. The most successful organizations not only adopt technology but apply it strategically to achieve great outcomes, according to an analysis of the Most Wired survey results.
“We are staying at the cutting edge of industry standards and best practices by making significant investments across our entire system in the technology behind our patient care. We are using technology to improve the patient experience everywhere a patient might come into WVU Medicine – from our hospitals to our outpatient clinics,” Jim Venturella, WVU Medicine vice president and chief information officer, said. “We are very proud to see the hard work and dedication of our IT professionals receive recognition by leaders in the industry.”
HealthCare’s Most Wired, now in its 20th year, traditionally tracked the adoption of healthcare IT in hospitals and health systems. CHIME took over the Most Wired program and revised the survey questions and methodology this year to highlight strengths and gaps in the industry. The goal is to identify best practices and promote the strategic use of healthcare IT to elevate the health and care of communities around the world.
CHIME made a report based on an analysis of survey results available today (Nov. 2). The report found two key areas that emerged in 2018: the use of foundational technologies, such as integration, interoperability, security, and disaster recovery; and the use of transformational technologies to support population health management, value-based care, patient engagement, and telehealth. These foundational pieces need to be in place for an organization to leverage tools to effectively transform healthcare.
“Healthcare IT has the potential to revolutionize care around the world, but to meet that potential it must be used strategically,” Russell Branzell, president and CEO of CHIME, said. “The technology is important, but leadership and a strategic vision are equally important. The diversity of the organizations that earned Most Wired status this year shows quality care can be achieved almost anywhere under the right leadership. By sharing the best practices in Most Wired, we hope quality care will one day be available everywhere.”
This marks Ruby Memorial Hospital’s eighth straight year on the list, the fourth for United Hospital Center, and third year for Berkeley, Jefferson, and Camden Clark Medical Centers. It is the first year for Potomac Valley, Reynolds Memorial, and St. Joseph’s.
CHIME designated the WVU Medicine hospitals for 2018 Most Wired recognition at the CHIME Fall CIO Forum, which concludes today in San Diego.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers (CIOs), chief medical information officers (CMIOs), chief nursing information officers (CNIOs), and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 2,700 members in 51 countries and over 150 healthcare IT business partners and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.