FORT WAYNE — For the fifth year in a row, Parkview Health has been recognized as one of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives HealthCare’s Most Wired health systems.

One of only five in the state, the recognition honors organizations that have established best practices and promote the strategic use of healthcare information technology to elevate care in their communities.

“The bar was raised this year for organizations hoping to be recognized among the Most Wired,” said Ron Double, chief information officer for Parkview Health. “So to see that we were still ranked in the 92nd percentile among all participating organizations speaks volumes about the work Parkview’s Information Services team has done to create a sustainable IT infrastructure, advance care delivery and implement security measures to protect our electronic assets.”

Hospitals and health systems at the forefront of using healthcare IT to improve care delivery have maximized the benefits of foundational technologies and are embracing new technologies that support population management and value-based care. The most successful organizations not only adopt technology but apply it strategically to achieve great outcomes, according to survey results.

“Healthcare IT has the potential to revolutionize care around the world, but to meet that potential it must be used strategically,” said Russell Branzell, president and CEO of CHIME. “The technology is important, but leadership and a strategic vision are equally important.”

In CHIME’s analysis of survey results, two key areas emerged in 2018: the use of foundational technologies such as integration, interoperability, security and disaster recovery; and the use of transformational technologies to support population health management, value-based care, patient engagement and telehealth. These foundational pieces need to be in place for an organization to leverage tools to effectively transform healthcare.