Detroit Medical Center Achieves 10-Year Milestone on Nation’s "Most Wired" List

For the tenth consecutive year, Detroit Medical Center (DMC) has been recognized as one of the nation's "Most Wired" hospital systems according to the 18th annual Health Care's Most Wired® survey, released last week by the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Health Forum.

The 2016 Most Wired® survey and benchmarking study is a leading industry barometer measuring information technology (IT) use and adoption among hospitals nationwide. The survey conducted between January 15 and March 15 (2016) captured 680 responses representing 2,146 hospitals – more than 34 percent of all hospitals in the U.S. - and revealed technology is improving the efficiency of care delivery and creating a new dynamic in patient interactions.

The survey gathered insight into how health care organizations leverage IT infrastructure to securely safeguard patient health information and access capabilities, conduct business and promote clinical quality.

“Detroit Medical Center is pleased to be recognized for the tenth consecutive year as an industry leader in health information technology,” said DMC Chief Information Officer Joe Francis. "As one of the first health systems to integrate information technology into our system of hospitals, we are diligently focused on protecting the security of our patients’ information while simultaneously sharing appropriate information to create a better overall patient experience and reduce costs.”

In redefining the way they provide care in their communities, Most Wired hospitals areusing technology to build patient engagement with the individual’s lifestyle in mind including electronic access to their care team through patient portals, mobile applications and social media.

“Hospitals are breaking-out of their traditional four walls and providing care where and whenpatients need it,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the AHA. “These Most Wiredhospitals 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.”

According to the survey, Most Wired hospitals are utilizing population health management tools and partnering with other health care providers to share critical clinical information used in analyzing interventions aimed at key patient groups, such as those with diabetes. To get patients the right care, hospitals, including DMC, are using predictive modeling to eliminate preventable problems.

Hospitals are also taking strong actions to ensure cybersecurity. More than 90 percent use intrusion detection systems, privacy audit systems and security incident event management to detect patient privacy breaches, monitor for malicious activities and produce real-time analysis of security alerts. In addition, 84 percent conduct a third-party security audit annually to ensure that guidelines are followed.

Detailed results of the survey and study can be found in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networksmagazine. For a full list of winners visit www.hhnmag.com.