UI Hospital named to ‘Most Wired’ list for eighth year

The University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System has been named among the top ‘Most Wired’ healthcare organizations for the eighth time in the last nine years by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine in conjunction with the American Hospital Association.

UI Health was recognized for its leadership in health information technologies. (Select photo to download.)

The Most Wired distinction recognizes health care organizations that are leaders in implementing health information technologies to support all aspects of business operations.

UI Health’s electronic medical records system, first implemented in 1997, links the hospital, outpatient centers, satellite facilities, academic offices and laboratories to medical data on more than two million patients and is accessible from computers located throughout the institution and off site.

“We are honored to continue to receive this designation year after year,” said Jerry Bauman, dean of the UIC College of Pharmacy and interim vice president for health affairs, University of Illinois.

“One of the highlights of this past year was rolling out our patient portal, My UI Health, which relied on our advanced information technology systems to integrate patient medical information from various departments throughout the hospital,” Bauman said. “Now, patients can be more engaged with their care through secure messaging with physicians, and they can view their medical records, make follow up appointments, check lab results and request prescription refills.”

A new law requiring that half of all Illinois’ Medicaid patients enroll in managed care plans within the next year is an upcoming challenge that UI Health’s information technology will help manage, says Audrius Polikaitis, chief information officer at UI Hospital.

“This fall, we will launch the UI Health Plus accountable care entity, which is a new managed care plan for our Medicaid patients,” Polikaitis said. “The advanced electronic health records and management systems that we have in place will let us easily enroll patients in the new plan and more effectively manage their care.”

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