Newswise — Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) has been named one of the nation's Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems, according to results of the 2009 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study. These results were published in the latest issue of the American Hospital Association's Hospitals & Health Networks (H&HN) magazine.
"Loyola is a leader among health systems nationwide in using fully interactive patient medical records and electronic communications resources," said Art Krumrey, vice president and chief information officer, Loyola University Health System (LUHS). "Our organization was recognized for the innovative use of this technology and the significant clinical and operational efficiencies that it has brought to our patients and health care providers."
2009 marks the 11th annual release of the list of 100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems. LUMC was one of the 100 hospitals named Most Wired of the 1,314 that applied. This award marks the seventh time LUMC has been named to the list.
Hospitals are named to the list based on a detailed scoring process. The survey evaluates how hospitals use information technology to address five key areas: safety and quality, customer service, business processes, workforce, and public health and safety.
Among the reasons LUMC was included on the list was its investment in an electronic medical record system.
"Loyola recognized the need to establish a fully interactive electronic medical record system given the complex health care environment in which we operate," said Krumrey. "The implementation of these technologies has provided immediate access to health information at any facility in our system, resulting in enhanced patient care."
LUMC is among a small percentage of institutions that use electronic medical records and physician order entry. The technology allows physicians to receive patient test results and communications from other physicians more quickly and easily through electronic inboxes.
This week, LUMC took its electronic medical record system a step further by making myLoyolaSelect available to all primary care and internal medicine locations. This web-based tool allows patients to see select portions of their medical records, communicate securely with their physicians and review and pay their bills online.
"Patients in Loyola's primary care network now have access to myLoyolaSelect, an online portal to their medical record information," said Daniel Post, senior vice president of ambulatory programs and system services, LUHS. "This forum will enhance the communication and strengthen the partnership between the patient, their physician and the office staff."
The health system will continue to expand these resources to improve communication, create efficiencies and diminish risks for human error.
"Advances in information technology are essential as we navigate our way through our nation's health care climate," said Ron Price, associate dean for information systems, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. "Information technology is a priority, which we will continue to build upon for our patients, employees and referring health care providers."
Based in the western suburbs of Chicago, Loyola University Health System is a quaternary care system with a 61-acre main medical center campus, the 36-acre Gottlieb Memorial Hospital campus and 25 primary and specialty care facilities in Cook, Will and DuPage counties. The medical center campus is conveniently located in Maywood, 13 miles west of the Chicago Loop and 8 miles east of Oak Brook, Ill. The heart of the medical center campus, Loyola University Hospital, is a 570-licensed bed facility. It houses a Level 1 Trauma Center, a Burn Center and the Ronald McDonald® Children's Hospital of Loyola University Medical Center. Also on campus are the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola Outpatient Center, Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine and Loyola Oral Health Center as well as the LUC Stritch School of Medicine, the LUC Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing and the Loyola Center for Health & Fitness. Loyola's Gottlieb campus in Melrose Park includes the 250-bed community hospital, the Gottlieb Health & Fitness Center and the Marjorie G. Weinberg Cancer Care Center.
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