LGH Among Nation’s Most Wired Hospitals

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LAWRENCE, MA— Lawrence General Hospital (LGH) has earned a place on the list of the nation’s 2014 Most Wired Hospitals by Hospitals and Health Networks Magazine. This coveted honor places Lawrence General among those hospitals across the country that are leveraging

information technology (IT) to increase the safety and quality of patient care and the security of patient information—one of only 11 hospitals in Massachusetts to receive the recognition.

“This is a tremendous achievement,” observes Jeff Brown, chief information officer at the Lawrence, Massachusetts based 189-bed acute care facility. “Our information technology program has grown significantly in the past few years, and achieving “Most Wired” status is an important acknowledgement of how successful the IT team at Lawrence General has been.”

The 2014 Most Wired survey found that Most Wired Hospitals are more likely to have nurses and physicians who share best practices for patient safety and use checklists that promote safe care. Eighty-six percent of Most Wired Hospitals provide quality scores to clinical leaders on a regular basis as part of their performance improvement initiatives.

The focus on digital data management in healthcare organizations has allowed hospitals to better manage care both in real time and retrospectively, to find trends and pursue best practice protocols, and to learn more about their communities from a broader community perspective. In other words, the information that is generated by caring for individual patients can be aggregated to learn more about the primary drivers of health and illness within communities—information that can help to keep populations of people more healthy.

“The Most Wired data show that shared health information gives clinicians and patients the information they need to promote health and make informed decisions about treatments,” says Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association. “Hospitals, their clinicians and their communities are doing tremendous work to enhance their IT systems in ways that support care and delivery improvement, and patient engagement goals.”

“We are thrilled to be recognized for the leading edge technology at work for patients at Lawrence General Hospital,” comments Denise Palumbo, RN, senior vice president and chief operating officer. “We are bringing the newest technology to patient care, whether it’s the latest imaging or surgical technology or the digital technology needed to store and process patient information. While patient care will always be a human interaction, technology helps us to do a better job and that is something all of us at Lawrence General embrace.”

About the Most Wired Survey
The 2014 Most Wired Survey was conducted by McKesson Corp., AT&T, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, and the American Hospital Association.  Health Care’s Most Wired Survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, asked hospitals and health systems nationwide to answer questions regarding their IT initiatives. Respondents completed 680 surveys, representing 1,900 hospitals, or more than 30 percent of all U.S. hospitals. The July H&HN cover story detailing results is available at www.hhnmag.com.

Lawrence General Hospital is a regional hospital offering high quality, affordable care to the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire.   Serving nearly 300,000 patients annually, LGH delivers comprehensive health care to patients by ensuring access to the high-quality care, the latest technologies, and more than 500 local providers, including primary care and many specialties, delivering caring and personalized treatment.  A designated Level III Trauma Center, LGH has one of the busiest Emergency Departments in Massachusetts and offers a full spectrum of medical services. LGH has clinical affiliations with Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In the Fall of 2014, LGH, in collaboration with Pentucket Medical Associates, will open Andover Medical Center, a 30,000 square foot facility for primary care, urgent care, OB/GYN and Women’s Health Imaging. For more information, visit www.lawrencegeneral.org.

Originally posted by Lawrence General Hospital. Read Original Article.