Data analytics use a key push for 'Most Wired' hospitals

The use of data analytics technology to achieve success as the healthcare industry transitions to focus on value over volume is a pressing issue for hospitals, particularly those named to this year's "Most Wired" list, according to Hospitals & Health Networks.

Overall, 375 hospitals were included on the 2014 list. Of those, 43 percent said they integrate clinical and claims data so such information can be used across the care continuum by various stakeholders. Seventy-one percent of organizations that made the list said they manage care transitions with the help of data analytics, while 36 percent said they aggregate data from patient encounters for use in a community health record.

Additionally, 69 percent of hospitals on the list said they use data analytics tools to retrospectively analyze clinical and administrative data to boost care quality and cut costs.

"We see leaders thinking about business intelligence tools," Chantal Worzala, director of policy at the American Hospital Association said, according to HHN. "The question is, 'Can we give them time to build out better analytical tools?'"

Overall, the list included some notable and familiar large entities--such as 644-bed Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and 14-hospital, 3,700-bed Texas Health Resources in Arlington--as well as some smaller, lesser-known organizations, like eight-bed Kalkaska (Michigan) Memorial Health Center.

Russell Branzell, president and CEO of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, which helped to determine the hospitals that made the cut, said in a statement that the leaders all recognized institutions should be "commended" for efforts made under "unrealistic" time expectations.

"Effective C-suites view IT adoption as a collaborative effort," Branzell said. "They have a clear strategic plan and know how IT fits into that."

The American Hospital Association (which publishes HHN), McKesson and AT&T also helped to produce the list.

In June, Top Masters in Healthcare Administration published a list of what it called the 30 most technologically advanced hospitals in the world. Of the top four U.S. hospitals on that list, only the Mayo Clinic earned "Most Wired" status.

To learn more:
- here's the 2014 list (.pdf)
- check out the accompanying announcement (.pdf)
- read the HHN article