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Memorial Hermann Healthcare System Among the Nation's “Most Wired”

Houston, Texas, July 20, 2005 – The hospitals of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System have been recognized among the nation's 100 Most Wired Hospitals by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, according to a study released this week.

The listed hospitals and health systems have invested significantly in health information technology and have risk-adjusted mortality rates 7.2 percent lower than other hospitals, according to study results published in the magazine's July issue. While the new survey does not establish a “cause and effect” relationship between information technology use and improved patient outcomes, it demonstrates that technology can play an important role in quality.

“A world class organization like Memorial Hermann Healthcare System is expected to set the pace for clinical quality and innovation,” explains David Bradshaw, Chief Information Officer and VP, Marketing. “That's what we do best. In the realm of technology we're executing a well-conceived clinical transformation strategy that includes systems and processes to deliver the best possible clinical outcomes along with an exceptional patient care experience. All twelve of our hospitals are linked with over 2,300 physicians accessing electronic records. The momentum we've achieved is remarkable. We're transforming delivery of care as well as the patient and family experience.”

Since 1999, Hospitals & Health Networks has surveyed the nation's hospitals on their use of information technology to accomplish key goals, including safety and quality objectives. Based on a detailed scoring process, the magazine annually names the 100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems.

“There are three key differences in how hospitals apply and use information technology to improve care,” says Alden Solovy, executive editor of Hospitals & Health Networks, the journal of the American Hospital Association (AHA). “The Most Wired use a wider array of IT tools to address quality and safety, they have a significantly larger percentage of physicians who enter orders themselves, and they conduct a larger percentage of clinical activities via information technology.”

Hospitals & Health Networks conducted the 2005 survey in cooperation with Accenture, IDX Systems Corporation and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

The Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study measures the nation's hospitals on their use of information technologies for quality, customer service, public health and safety, business processes and workforce issues.

About the Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study
Hospitals & Health Networks, the journal of the American Hospital Association, conducts the Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study annually and names the 100 Most Wired. Solucient provides comprehensive, results-oriented information to drive business growth, manage costs, and help deliver quality care. Solucient conducted the mortality analysis. Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. IDX Systems Corporation is a leading provider of software, services and technologies for health care provider organizations. CHIME was formed with the dual objective of serving the professional development needs of healthcare chief information officers and advocating the more effective use of information management within health care.

For more information, contact Media Relations.