VA VISN 11 Healthcare Network Named to 2011 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems

Online, August 5, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The Hospitals and Health Networks, a publication of the American Hospital Association, has named Ann Arbor-based VA VISN 11 Healthcare Network as one of the Nation's Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems. According to the AHA, hospitals that embrace technology demonstrate better patient satisfaction and better outcomes in risk-adjusted mortality, as well as other key quality measurements.

"Connected care leads to better care," said VISN 11 Network Director Michael Finegan. "Technology helps us improve decision making, enhance safety, coordinate care, and provide more tailored, more convenient care for the Veterans who served our nation."

The Most Wired survey is conducted annually by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, which uses the results to name the Most Wired hospitals and health systems. It focuses on how the nation's hospitals use information technology for quality, customer service, public health and safety, business processes, and workforce issues.

Over the next five years, we expect to see significant growth in the use of technology in health care," said VISN 11 Network Chief Information Officer General Kearney, Jr. "We are using it to improve clinical outcomes, reduce medical errors, and streamline our business and clinical processes."

This year, 1,300 hospitals and health systems completed the AHA survey, roughly 24 percent of all U.S. hospitals. Even with additional and more stringent requirements, VISN 11 Healthcare Network ranked among the top, along with such institutions as Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan Treatment Center, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and Yale, Harvard, and Stanford hospitals.

The nation's Most Wired hospitals and health systems are helping consumers take charge of their health care by providing more tools via the Internet, according to results from the annual Most Wired Survey. Among the findings:

 Sixty-seven percent of Most Wired hospitals ordered medications electronically;
 Fifty-eight percent of all organizations reported that they have implemented computerized standing orders based on treatment protocols that have been scientifically proven to be effective;
 Most Wired hospitals are leading in the use of encryption on movable devices to safeguard information. All Most Wired hospitals encrypt data for laptops and 76 percent encrypt smart phones; and
 22 percent of hospitals provide patients the opportunity to visit a physician virtually.

"Consumers are doing everything from booking travel to managing their finances from their living rooms. VISN 11 Healthcare Network is providing the same opportunities in health care for Veterans," said Finegan.

The Most Wired results are available at www.hhnmag.com.

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VA VISN 11 Healthcare Network is the regional organization for VA healthcare facilities serving Veterans in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. VISN 11 serves Veterans who receive care at VA medical centers in Marion, Fort Wayne, and Indianapolis, Indiana; Battle Creek, Saginaw, Ann Arbor, and Detroit, Michigan; and Danville, Illinois; as well as the associated VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois.