7/10/2014 - Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital and Ukiah Valley Medical Center Parent Company Named Among the Nation's Most Wired Health Care Systems
Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital (HMH) and Ukiah Valley Medical Center (UVMC) parent company, Adventist Health, has been named one of the most wired health systems in a national survey conducted by Hospitals & Health Networks and announced today.
Most Wired organizations use information technology to better connect care providers and patients. They must meet a set of rigorous criteria across four operational categories, including infrastructure, business and administrative management, clinical quality and safety, and clinical integration (connecting inpatient and outpatient services, physicians and patients).
Using information technology reduces the likelihood of medical errors and allows clinicians and patients to have the information they need to promote health and make the most informed decisions about treatments, according to Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, which helped conduct the survey.
“Enhancing information technology has long been a strategic priority to ensure we are supporting patient care and access to information,” said Rick Bockmann President and CEO of HMH, and Gwen Matthews President and CEO of UVMC, in a shared statement. “In addition to increasing patient safety, it puts information right where it is needed for our physicians and the rest of the care team.”
Adventist Health’s recent information technology advancements implemented at HMH and UVMC include Electronic Health Record enhancements in our surgery and women’s health areas, computerized physician order entry, Positive Patient Identification for hospital medications and lab draws, and MyAdventistHealth Patient Portal where patients can access many portions of their medical record online and in real time.
Health Care’s Most Wired Survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, asked hospitals and health systems nationwide to answer questions regarding their IT initiatives. Respondents completed 680 surveys, representing 1,900 hospitals, or more than 30 percent of all U.S. hospitals. More information about the survey can be found in the July issue of Hospitals & Health
