(July 19, 2011) Sellersville, PA – Grand View Hospital has been recognized as one of the nation’s Most Wired hospitals, according to the results of the 2011 Most Wired Survey released in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. Conducted between January 15 and March 15, the survey asked hospitals and health systems nationwide to answer questions regarding their information technology initiatives. Respondents completed 530 surveys, representing 1,388 hospitals, or roughly 24 percent of all U.S. hospitals.

“This award shows Grand View is at the forefront of health information technology,” said Grand View’s chief information officer Jane Loveless. “We have implemented advanced technology in all areas of medical care provided at the hospital as well as at our outpatient centers and medical practices. The new technology plays an important role in helping Grand View consistently achieve high marks in patient quality and safety.”

As a Most Wired hospital, Grand View has integrated technology in all aspects of clinical quality and safety. Patient monitoring, medical documentation, and pharmacy are a few of the many areas where staff uses technology to help keep patients safe. One example is an automated medication management system. It uses barcode verification to help ensure each patient receives the correct medication at the right time and in the right dose.

According to Loveless, a new electronic medical record (EMR) helped propel Grand View to Most Wired status. The EMR replaced paper medical charts with a digital system. “Our EMR brought many opportunities to improve safety, efficiency, and quality of care. Information flow also improved, which facilitates coordinated care for our patients.” As one of the first hospitals in the nation to reach six out of seven possible stages of EMR adoption, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics honored Grand View with a coveted Stage 6 EMR Award last September. Only 2.6 percent of the nation’s hospitals had reached Stage 6 at that time and since then the number has grown to just 3.5 percent.

Computerized physician order entry is another powerful technology Grand View uses. It gives doctors the ability to review a patient’s medical information and diagnostic reports and images electronically. Now doctors can respond to patient needs from anywhere and at anytime using an internet connection. Web-based technology also brings physicians and other health care providers together for collaboration. Yet another new tool physicians use is an electronic prescription system to prescribe medications.

In other areas of the hospital, administrative, human resources, and other staff uses technology to accomplish a variety of tasks. This includes tracking and reporting public health data, purchasing medications and supplies, tracking medical devices, and managing employee benefits and personnel information. In addition to recognizing capabilities such as these, earning the distinction of 2011 Most Wired acknowledges that the proper network infrastructure, security, back up, and data repository systems are in place.

According to the 2011 survey, the nation’s Most Wired hospitals are making progress toward greater health information technology adoption. Hospitals like Grand View are expanding and adopting information technology, such as computerized physician order entry, to promote improved patient care and data management. The July Hospitals & Health Networks cover story detailing results is available at www.hhnmag.com.

Grand View Hospital, Bucks County’s first hospital, has provided residents of Bucks and Montgomery Counties with comprehensive health care services since 1913. Grand View offers a range of care – particularly emphasizing the areas of cancer treatment, women's and children's health, surgery, orthopaedics, and heart and vascular care. Visit www.gvh.org for more information about the hospital, its programs, and services.