KANSAS CITY, Mo. and PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 7, 2005 -- As one of only a few digital hospitals in the country, Banner Estrella Medical Center is leading the healthcare industry through the innovation and modernization of the healthcare process. The facility, which opened in January, virtually eliminates paper in favor of electronic medical records to give caregivers access to a complete medical history for more personalized care.

"Banner Estrella was designed and built from the outset with an eye for the future as a true digital hospital, integrating care through the use of information technology," said Mike Warden, chief information officer, Banner Health. "We believe that healthcare IT can be an important asset for reducing costs and improving quality. Healthcare IT enhances medical care and creates a safer environment for our patients."

Banner Estrella, the newest facility to join the Banner Health System, is a 50-acre campus with a hospital, outpatient surgery center and medical office building, serving the growing community of southwest Phoenix. Together with healthcare IT supplier Cerner Corp., Banner Estrella leverages healthcare information technology by automating and integrating information throughout the facility so that it is accessible anywhere at anytime. Physicians and nurses trained on the state-of-the-art system can access information online at the point of care, freeing up more time to focus on the individual.
The digital environment helps implement greater safety measures at Banner Estrella by closing loops in the care and medication processes. Caregivers can access up-to-date, complete information at their fingertips, providing tools that aide in the delivery of care. Even paperwork that is brought into the hospital is scanned into the electronic system, so physicians can see entire records, eliminating many redundancies and errors that can occur in a paper-based system.

"Banner Health has long been a valued partner of Cerner, and the new digital Banner Estrella builds on our vision of connecting caregivers with the appropriate information at any time to help eliminate error, variance and waste," said Trace Devanny, Cerner president. "Cerner looks forward to building on this partnership as Banner remains committed to implementing technology to provide quality care in the community. Banner Estrella sets the standards for care in a digital environment."

Banner Estrella is the first digital hospital in the Banner Health system, which includes seven hospitals in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Banner Estrella emphasizes a healing environment for patients and their families with private hospitals rooms, which include 30-inch flat screen televisions and complimentary access to Internet.

Back to HCB News

More Industry Headlines