UVA Health honored nationally for using technology to support quality patient care
Jan/Feb 2022
A national “Most Wired” award has been earned by UVA Health for its advanced use of technology to bolster high-quality patient care.
The award is based on a national survey of more than 38,000 health organizations by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, which assesses the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in healthcare. On a scale of 1-10, CHIME rated UVA Health a Level 8 organization, with its best ratings coming in the categories of clinical quality & safety, interoperability & population management, infrastructure and security.
“This award is the result of our organization’s engagement and motivation to excel in all areas,” says Robin Parkin, UVA Health’s chief information and technology officer. “I am very proud of all our health information technology teams, and I want to thank our great partners throughout UVA Health who drive and embrace technology to improve our healthcare operations and outcomes.”
Technology is used in a host of ways at UVA Health to enhance patient care and protect patients’ health. For example, doctors use artificial intelligence to predict which pediatric patients’ conditions may worsen, as well as identify patients at risk for dangerous sepsis. Sepsis occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts to an infection, causing harmful inflammation that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure or even death.
A robust information technology system is key to Fortify Children’s Health, a pediatric care network cofounded by UVA Health and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters to work together with community providers in efforts to limit costs and provide high-quality patient care.
In the coming months, UVA Health will implement a new tool to connect patients with resources and community organizations, such as food banks, that can help address patients’ social determinants of health. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, social determinants of health “are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age” that affect their health.
“Our team is always exploring new ways that technology can be harnessed to help provide better care for our patients,” Parkin says.
