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Named Among 2015 Most Wired Hospital by American Hospital Association’s Health Forum and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)
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Achieves Stage 6 in HIMSS Analytics’ EMR Adoption Model
Heritage Valley Health System is one of the nation’s “Most Wired,” according to results of the 17th annual HealthCare’s Most Wired™ survey, released today by the American Hospital Association’s Health Forum and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). This is the second consecutive year the Health System was ranked as Most Wired. Both years Heritage Valley Health System was one of only three Pittsburgh-area health systems to achieve this recognition.
“We are honored to be recognized again this year as a Most Wired health system,” said David Carleton, chief information officer at Heritage Valley Health System. “We credit the foresight and vision of our board of directors who have made an annual investment in information technology since 1998. We have always viewed information technology as an enabler to help our physicians and caregivers realize the Heritage Valley mission which is to improve the health and well-being of all people in the communities we serve.”
The 2015 Most Wired™ survey and benchmarking study, in partnership with CHIME and sponsored by VMware, is a leading industry barometer measuring information technology (IT) use and adoption among hospitals nationwide. The survey of more than 741 participants, representing more than 2,213 hospitals, examined how organizations are leveraging IT to improve performance for value-based healthcare in the areas of infrastructure, business and administrative management, quality and safety, and clinical integration.
Heritage Valley has continually prioritized IT initiatives such as the Health System’s ever-evolving electronic health record that now connects primary care, ambulatory services, hospital services as well as information collected on patients at neighboring hospitals. Connecting information helps improve efficiency and lower health care costs. Additionally, Heritage Valley’s effort on its patient portal, Health Link, enables patients to have access to their personal health information by simply going to the Heritage Valley website.
In addition to retaining its status as a Most Wired health system, Heritage Valley achieved Stage 6 of the HIMSS Analytics EMR Adoption Model. HIMSS is a global not-for-profit organization focused on better health through information technology. One of the services they provide is measurement (Adoption Model) of healthcare organizations implementation and use of Electronic Health Records. Their EMR Adoption Model has 7 Stages, with Stage 7 representing the highest adoption of EMR technology.
“Twenty-two percent of hospitals in the United States have achieved the Stage 6, and Heritage Valley is proud to be among those. We are one of only a few health systems in western Pennsylvania to reach that designation,” added Mr. Carleton. “The healthcare industry is rapidly evolving in many areas and our ability to be a leader in information technology will help us remain successful in the future.”
HealthCare’s Most Wired™ Survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, 2015, is published annually by Health & Hospitals Network. Respondents completed 741 surveys, representing more than 39 percent of all U.S. hospitals. Detailed results of the survey and study can be found in the July issue of H&HN. For a full list of winners visit www.hhnmag.com.
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About Heritage Valley Health System
Heritage Valley Health System is a $480 million integrated delivery network providing comprehensive health care for residents of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, in Pennsylvania; eastern Ohio; and the panhandle of West Virginia. In partnership with 3,700 employees and more than 480 physicians, Heritage Valley offers a broad range of medical, surgical and diagnostic services at its two hospitals, Heritage Valley Sewickley and Heritage Valley Beaver; in 60 physician offices; and 18 community satellite facilities. For more information about Heritage Valley Health System, please visit www.heritagevalley.org.
About the American Hospital Association
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is the national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and communities. Nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members come together to form the AHA. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, please visit www.aha.org.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 1,500 CIO members and over 150 healthcare IT vendors 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 www.chimecentral.org.