EvergreenHealth is recognized as a “Most Improved” hospital in the 2016 Health Care’s Most Wired survey, presented by the American Hospital Association’s Health Forum and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). This is the second consecutive year EvergreenHealth received the “Most Improved” designation in this distinguished annual survey list published by Health & Hospitals Networks (H&HN) magazine.
This year, EvergreenHealth received the “Most Improved” designation for demonstrating noteworthy technology advancements in business and administrative management processes, clinical quality and safety, and clinical integration, among other technical achievements.
“We constantly strive to enrich the lives of our patients through effective care, and technology plays a vital role in achieving that goal,” said EvergreenHealth CEO Bob Malte. “Being honored as a ‘Most Improved’ hospital two years in a row is a significant milestone for us and validates the extensive efforts of our teams across our health system. Each solution they identify and improvement they integrate empowers us to provide the best possible care to the communities we serve.”
According to the Most Wired survey data, technology is improving the efficiency of care delivery and creating a new dynamic in patient interactions. As a whole, 2016 Most Wired hospitals use telehealth technology to provide care and consultations outside of in-person visits, leverage technologies such as patient portals, mobile applications and social media to cater to changing patient lifestyle preferences, and utilize population health management tools to gather and share clinical information to eliminate preventive health problems. These hospitals also take strong actions to ensure patient data is secure.
For nearly 20 years, the Health Care’s Most Wired survey has recognized hospitals and health systems nationwide for their technology savvy by benchmarking their clinical information technology (IT) use and adoption. This year, 680 participants representing an estimated 2,146 hospitals—more than 34 percent of all hospitals in the U.S. – participated in the 2016 study.
Nationally, just 24 hospitals were named “Most Improved,” and EvergreenHealth was the only organization in Washington state to earn the distinction for improvement. In total, 23 Washington hospital systems were recognized by Health Care’s Most Wired this year, including seven in the Puget Sound/Seattle-Tacoma region.
“Hospitals are breaking-out of their traditional four walls and providing care where and when patients need it,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the AHA. “These Most Wired hospitals exemplify this transformation by harnessing technology, engaging patients and offering services remotely. And removing policy and other barriers to telehealth will allow even faster adoption of these amazing technologies.”
A full copy of the 2016 Most Wired survey is available in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks or online at www.hhnmag.com/topics/261-most-wired.
To learn more about EvergreenHealth Home Health services, visit www.evergreenhealth.com or call 425-899-3300.
