Mission Health one of eight N.C. hospitals named “Most Wired” for technology adoption

From the press release from Mission Health:

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (July 17, 2012) – Mission Hospital has been named one of the nation’s MOST WIRED hospitals, according to the results of the 2012 Most Wired Survey released last week in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks (H&HN) magazine. Mission Hospital is one of only eight North Carolina hospitals to achieve this recognition.

Published by the American Hospital Association, H&HN’s 2012 Most Wired Survey recognizes hospitals that are making significant progress towards greater health information technology (IT) adoption. The survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, asked hospitals and health systems to answer questions regarding their IT platforms and initiatives. This year 662 surveys were completed, representing 1,570 hospitals, or about 27 percent of all U.S. hospitals. The Most Wired recognition is based on technology advancements made by healthcare organizations to enhance patients’ safety, quality and customer satisfaction.

“Information technology plays a crucial role in the advancement of care and improving patient outcomes,” said Sulaiman H. Sulaiman, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Mission Health. “This recognition would not be possible without the outstanding coordination and commitment to excellence exhibited by our information technology department. We are honored to be named Most Wired.”

To achieve Most Wired, Mission Hospital demonstrated better IT outcomes in four key areas- infrastructure, business and administrative management, clinical quality and safety, and clinical integration.

“The healthcare landscape is ever changing and information technology is one area that becomes only more important each and every year,” said Ronald A. Paulus, MD, President and CEO of Mission Health. “Our IT investments allow Mission Health to achieve better patient outcomes by preventing error and improving safety. We have a significant journey ahead, but we should be proud of our accomplishments to date. I would like to thank the entire IT team, including Arlo Jennings, PhD, former Mission CIO, for their work. ”

For more information about H&HN’s 2012 Most Wired hospitals, please visit www.hhnmag.com.

About Mission Hospital

Mission Hospital, the flagship hospital of Mission Health, is a not-for-profit community hospital that serves as the regional referral center for Western North Carolina and the adjoining region. According to Thomson Reuters, Mission Health is ranked among the Top 15 health care systems in the country, and Mission Hospital is the busiest surgical hospital in North Carolina. Mission Hospital offers physician services in more than 50 specialties, and employs more than 6,000 people, including over 1,800 RNs. Mission Hospital is committed to serving its community and improving the health of the people in Western North Carolina.