UC San Diego Health System Among “Most Wired Advanced” in Nation

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UC San Diego Health System is among the nation’s “Most Wired Advanced” hospitals, according to new findings released by Hospitals & Health Networks (H&HN), a publication of the American Hospital Association. The designation – given to just 20 of 375 hospitals cited – highlights institutions that have most effectively leveraged information technologies to improve performance and patient care.

The 16th Annual Health Care’s Most Wired Survey covers 1,900 hospitals, roughly one-third of the nation’s total. It evaluates how hospitals use information technologies in five areas: business processes, customer service, safety and quality, workforce and public health, and safety. It identified 375 hospitals and health systems, ranging in size from 25 beds to more than 10,000, as “most wired.” Seventeen are based in California.

The survey judged 20 hospitals in the nation to be “advanced,” meeting or exceeding criteria in all areas. These institutions were characterized by stronger security systems and faster disaster recovery times, electronic tools that improved business processes, quality and patient safety, chronic disease management services for patients at home and more. UC San Diego Health System was the only California-based organization to achieve “most wired advanced” status.

“This is our ninth consecutive year on H&HN’s Most Wired list, which underscores our ongoing dedication to both deepening and expanding the use of information technologies to provide the best possible patient care,” said Ed Babakanian, chief information officer, UC San Diego Health System. “Our goal, first and foremost, is always to provide the safest, best possible patient care. Using information technologies to improve everything from access to online medical information to patient outcomes is a critical part of that effort. Being judged among the very best is especially gratifying.”

Among the 2014 survey findings:

• Physicians and nurses in 90 percent of “most wired” organizations share best practices for patient safety and use checklists.
• 67 percent of “most wired” organizations share critical patient information electronically with specialists and other care providers.
• 81 percent use bar-coded technology to match medications to patients at the bedside, significantly reducing the risk of error.
• Almost half of “most wired” organizations publish quality performance standards and measures on their websites, providing consumers with additional information upon which to make better decisions about their health care.

The 2014 Most Wired Survey was conducted in cooperation with McKesson Corp., AT&T, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and the American Hospital Association.