Texas Children’s named 2014 Most Wired by flagship publication of the American Hospital Association

HOUSTON, Texas – Texas Children’s Hospital is excited to announce that for the second year in a row the hospital has received the “Most Wired” designation for outstanding health care-based technology from Hospitals & Health Network Magazine – the flagship publication of the American Hospital Association.

Health Care’s Most Wired Survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, asked hospitals and health systems nationwide to answer questions regarding their information technology (IT) initiatives. Respondents completed 680 surveys, representing 1,900 hospitals, or more than 30 percent of all U.S. hospitals.

“Earning Most Wired designation for two consecutive years is a tribute to the hard work of our Information Services team and the many partners we have at Texas Children’s,” said Myra Davis, senior vice president of Information Services. “It also reflects the foresight of the administration to recognize the role innovative technology can play in supporting world-class patient care.”

As the nation’s health care system transitions to more integrated and patient-centered care, hospitals are utilizing information technology to better connect disparate care providers, according to the 16th annual Health Care’s Most Wired Survey, conducted by Hospitals & Health Networks.

For instance, 67 percent of Most Wired hospitals share critical patient information electronically with specialists and other care providers. Most Wired hospitals, those that meet a set of rigorous criteria across four operational categories, have made tremendous gains by using IT to reduce the likelihood of medical errors. Among Most Wired hospitals, 81 percent of medications are matched to the patient, nurse and order via bar code technology at the bedside.

"Hospital leaders should be commended for the hard work they've done under an unrealistic time frame,” states Russell P. Branzell, president and CEO of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, referring to federal requirements that health care providers adopt and meaningfully use a certified electronic health records. “Still, there is a substantial amount of work ahead. Effective C-suites view IT adoption as a collaborative effort. They have a clear strategic plan and know how IT fits into that."

To that end, nearly all participants in the Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study have an established health IT project governance process and evaluate existing workflow processes and desired outcomes. Texas Children’s continues to increase the use of data analytics and decision support to ensure providers deliver the right care at the right time for the right populations of children and women. The evolving world of applying data analytics through quality improvement is helping the hospital achieve the right outcomes – the ultimate realization of value-driven care.