SEATTLE – (July 11, 2017) — Virginia Mason is designated as one of the “Most Wired” health systems in the nation for the sixth consecutive year by Hospitals & Health Networks, the publication of the American Hospital Association.

The Most Wired Award is given to organizations that are leaders in leveraging information technology (IT) to support clinical decisions, analytics, safety and the overall patient experience.

“This recognition is a testament to the pursuit of excellence that distinguishes teams across our entire organization,” said Bill Poppy, senior vice president and chief information officer, Virginia Mason. “To receive the award for six years in a row is a significant accomplishment by our organization and another example of the great work our teams do in supporting our patients.”

Virginia Mason has received the Most Wired Award annually since 2012. Award winners will be recognized during the 2017 Health Forum Leadership Summit in San Diego, July 27-29.

Virginia Mason’s clinical information technology includes a computerized provider order entry system; a comprehensive inpatient and outpatient electronic health record; a barcode system that ensures safe medication administration; medical device integration with the electronic health record; population health tools; and a secure online patient portal called MyVirginiaMason. The portal accommodates patient-report metrics and is used by patients to schedule appointments; view personal lab results; renew prescriptions; securely message their provider; and access their personal medical information.

The Most Wired survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, 2017, is published annually by Health & Hospitals Networks (H&HN). This year’s survey and benchmarking study is a leading industry barometer measuring information technology use and adoption among hospitals nationwide. The survey of 698 participants who represent an estimated 2,158 hospitals (more than 39 percent of all hospitals in the U.S.) examined how organizations are leveraging IT to improve performance for value-based health care in infrastructure; business and administrative management; quality and safety; and clinical integration.

“The Most Wired hospitals are using every available technology option to create more ways to reach their patients in order to provide access to care,” said American Hospital Association President and CEO Rick Pollack. “They are transforming care delivery, investing in new delivery models in order to improve quality, provide access and control costs.”

About Virginia Mason Health System
Virginia Mason, founded in 1920, is a nonprofit regional health care system based in Seattle that serves the Pacific Northwest. In the Puget Sound region, the system includes 336-bed Virginia Mason Hospital; a primary and specialty care group practice of more than 500 physicians; regional medical centers in Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Federal Way, Kirkland, Issaquah and Lynnwood; Bailey-Boushay House, the first skilled-nursing and outpatient chronic care management program in the U.S. designed and built specifically to meet the needs of people with HIV/AIDS; Benaroya Research Institute, which is internationally recognized for autoimmune disease research; and Virginia Mason Institute, which trains health care professionals and others from around the world in the Virginia Mason Production System, an innovative management methodology for continually improving quality, safety and efficiency. Virginia Mason online: VirginiaMason.org

Virginia Mason also includes Yakima-based Memorial Family of Services and Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, a 226-bed facility serving the Yakima Valley in Central Washington since 1950. Memorial Family of Services comprises primary care practices and specialty care services, including high quality cardiac care, a continuum of cancer care, hospice care, and advanced services for children with special health care needs. Memorial online: YakimaMemorial.org

Media Contact:
Gale Robinette
Media Relations Manager
Virginia Mason Health System
(206) 341-1509
gale.robinette@VirginiaMason.org