UAMS Named ‘Most Wired’ Hospital for 2017
| Aug. 2, 2017 | UAMS Medical Center recently won the Most Wired Award for the third year in a row from the American Hospital Association’s Health Forum Inc.
The hospital, part of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has won the distinction ten times. UAMS is one of only four hospitals in Arkansas to earn the honor for 2017. They include Unity Health in Searcy and White River Medical Center in Batesville, which was recognized with an award for Most Improved, and Stone County Medical Center in Mountain View, receiving an award for Most Wired – Small and Rural.
“Being recognized as most wired is confirmation that UAMS is continuing to invest in information systems that are transforming care delivery throughout the health care industry,” said Rhonda Jorden, UAMS chief information officer.
HealthCare’s Most Wired survey, conducted and published annually by Health & Hospitals Networks, included 698 participants representing an estimated 2,158 hospitals — roughly 39 percent of all hospitals in the United States.
“In 2017 UAMS continued its focus on patient- and family-centered care,” said Jorden. “Clinical operations and information technology teamed up on several projects, all with the patient in mind.”
These include:
- Single patient bill (implemented in January 2017)
- Enhancing cybersecurity defenses
- Opening of new orthopedic and primary care clinics as well as two new units – clinical decision and acute care
- Upgrades to core technology plus the addition of new clinical software applications to enhance patient- and family-centered care
Rhonda Jorden, UAMS chief information officer
“We have undergone massive internal reorganization to support our clinical technologies,” said Thomas Powell, M.D., UAMS chief medical information officer. “Our hospital and industry is increasingly being impacted by rapid system changes around clinical quality, cost containment, and patient satisfaction demanding supportive technology, workflow and collaboration to stay current.”
According to the survey, conducted between January and March 2017, technology is making it easier for patients and providers to interact, leading to improved communication, safety and patient-provider relationships.
Most Wired hospitals are using smart phones, telehealth, and remote monitoring to capture health information and create more ways for patients to access health care services. The new tools also help patients become more actively involved in their care and in maintaining their health.
More than half of the hospitals surveyed this year offer secure messaging with clinicians on mobile devices and secure email for patients needing ongoing monitoring at home. The technology also allows them and their families to keep in touch with their care team and request prescription renewals on mobile devices. Nearly half of the hospitals surveyed use telehealth to provide behavioral health services to more patients. More than 40 percent provide real-time care management services to patients at home for diabetes and congestive heart failure while another 40 percent offer virtual physician visits.
For a full list of winners, visit www.hhnmag.com.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,485 students, 915 medical residents and fellows, and seven dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###