The 100 Most Wired hospitals show better outcomes in patient satisfaction, risk-adjusted mortality rates and other key quality measures through the use of information technology (IT), according to a new analysis. Marking its 10th year, the Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study continues to lead the field in analyses and benchmarking of healthcare IT.

"Health IT has shown incredible promise in helping us improve the quality and safety of the care hospitals deliver every day," said Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association. "The results of the Most Wired survey confirm that today's patient also understands the benefits of IT in improving care and improving the overall hospital experience."

"Today's results add to the growing evidence that the appropriate use of IT can enhance both quality and patient satisfaction," said Alden Solovy, executive editor of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. "Most Wired hospitals are proving the fundamental value of information technology."
The analysis shows that better outcomes occur among high tech hospitals, but it does not establish a direct causal relationship between technology and outcomes. The satisfaction analysis was conducted jointly with Press Ganey Associates and the quality analysis was conducted jointly with Thomson Healthcare.

"Quality and satisfaction are often tied to key initiatives and goals that hospitals are striving towards through the use of technology and process improvement," said Merrie Wallace, R.N., vice president and solution line manager, McKesson Provider Technologies. "The most successful hospitals use technology as part of an overall strategy and achieve significant results. Those that just deploy technology for technology's sake don't see these types of results."

Lydon Neumann, senior executive at Accenture LLC, agreed that investment in information technology needs to be coupled with other hospital or system-wide efforts to drive exceptional results. "Most Wired hospitals excel in many ways but a strong investment in and commitment to information technology are characteristic of leaders who are looking at all of the elements needed to be a high-performing organization," Neumann said.

"An investment in information technology demonstrates the organizational commitment to patients, caregivers, physicians and clinicians, staff and administration," said Neumann. "It indicates a willingness to invest in areas that advance organizational effectiveness."

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