FARMINGTON – Embracing advanced information technologies has earned Franklin Memorial Hospital the distinction of being named as one of the nation’s most improved hospitals in the 2009 Most Wired survey conducted by Hospitals and Health Networks magazine, the journal of the American Hospital Association.
The Farmington hospital was named among the “Top 25 Most Improved” category of 1,314 hospitals considered for the award in a 2009 survey that focuses on how hospitals use information technologies for quality, customer service, public health and safety, business administration and workforce issues. The designation means the hospital’s score improved the most among the nation’s hospitals over last year’s survey score.
Franklin Memorial was one of only two Maine hospitals named to the list, the other being Eastern Maine Medical Center which scored in the “Most Wired” category. Most Wired are 100 organizations that scored highest on the survey. In its 11th year, the survey is conducted annually.
During the last few years, among the technology-based programs initiated at Franklin Memorial are: HealthInfoNet, a statewide system that allows health care providers to share information; bedside medication verification; Franklin e-ICU; PACS, a program for storing and sharing digital medical images and a regional e-prescribing program, which allows doctors to directly send a patient’s prescription electronically to a pharmacy.
For Dr. Jay Naliboff, e-prescriptions has made it so “pharmacists don’t have to try and figure out what I’ve written” and the potential unsafe drug interactions can be automatically red-flagged through the program, he said.
“It’s all about patient safety,” Naliboff said. Since the e-prescription program was started here in October of 2006, additional benefits include an increase in the number of patients who fill and later refill their prescriptions due to the ease of online ordering. Medication instructions have been found to be more detailed and easily followed as well.
Of the hospitals surveyed nationally, a total of 26 percent of medications are entered electronically by physicians, compared with only 19 percent last year.
Other information technology advances at Franklin Memorial to be continued or expanded will include paperless medical records, archiving systems, along with online billing for a more cost effective efficiency.
In a letter read at a gathering of the hospital’s medical staff, family members and its board of directors, American Hospital Association president and CEO, Rich Umbdenstock noted that FMH and its affiliated organizations work with the community and with other health care providers to integrate services.
“Recognition as a Most Wired hospital demonstrates that Franklin Memorial Hospital is on the cutting edge of health care delivery not only in Maine, but nationally as well,” Umbdenstock said.
Rebecca Ryder, Franklin Community Health Network’s president, said being named to the list was an important milestone.
“This is a very prestigious and a very much sought after award,” she said, adding that the achievement “is not just about the IT Department,” but it is with the entire medical staff that has embraced the new technologies that has made it work.
“This is an incredible recognition for all of the staff on a job well done,” Ryder said.
|
|
The July article in Hospitals & Health Networks detailing the results can be read at www.hhnmag.com
These people are always getting awards–I think they must have the knack of getting and publicizing awards very highly developed. It doesn’t do me any good, and I don’t see how I can possibly be alone. Where does one go if one lives in this area and has a problem with them?? My problem is one doctor who grossly overcharged me for a couple of brief visits related to my arthritis. She shows no sign of being willing to rectify this, so I have to assume she overcharges every patient who walks into her office. I also get no help from the billing office staff. For the past 4-5 months I’ve been trying to get the bill corrected, but all I get is stalling and runaround. Maybe they are too busy seeking out organizations to give them awards? I will have to look outside this area for a doctor to treat my arthritis. And my primary care physician (who referred me to the overcharging office) will not help–he has left 4 letters unanswered. (By contrast Sue Eastler in Women’s Care has been very helpful and sympathetic; but she can’t do anything about the orthopedics department or the hospital billing office.) I don’t like to emphasize the negative, but somehow the community needs to be warned.
Congratulations to Franklin Memorial Hospital! Your teamwork, can-do attitude, and willingness to embrace new technology benefits patients and caregivers alike. Recognition via this award is well-merited.