PBMC ranks among ‘most wired’ in U.S.

Peconic Bay Medical Center was a finalist for the 2013 “Most Wired Innovator” award from the Hospitals and Health Networks, the medical center announced yesterday.

The Hospital and Health Networks sponsors the annual “Most Wired” survey, an industry-standard benchmark study designed to measure the level of IT adoption in U.S. hospitals and health systems, PBMC said in a press release.

The “Most Wired” award recognizes hospitals and health systems for excellence in information technology, based on the organization’s achievements in four focus areas: infrastructure; business and administration management; clinical quality and safety; and clinical integration.

PBMC was one of six finalists nationwide announced by the network in July. Three of the six finalist received the award: Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston; and University of Utah Health Care in Salt Lake City. The other two finalists were Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, N.C. and Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, Conn.

Here’s what PBMC did to earn the recognition. To comply with federally mandated guidelines for employing an effective electronic health records system, PBMC decided to deploy Siemens Soarian as its new clinical information system. To do so, the medical center replaced its entire network infrastructure. A terminal was installed in every patient room to provide ease of access to the new system for clinicians. A product known as VMWare was used which allows for the virtualization of a Windows desktop, which can be deployed to these very low cost terminals. To reduce costs of providing generator power to all of these devices, a new technology known as Universal Power over Ethernet was utilized which allows the terminals to be powered over the computer network as opposed to normal 110v outlets. While saving time and effort that could be better purposed in delivering patient care, the system also measurably improved patient safety and quality of care.

“This technology has been very well received by all stakeholders. It satisfies their needs, increases productivity, reduces support costs and places caregivers where they belong… at the bedside,” said Arthur Crowe, vice president of hospital services and CIO, PBMC Health and Peconic Bay Medical Center.