For the third consecutive year, UCHealth has earned the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) ‘Digital Health Most Wired’ recognition as a certified level 10 for acute and ambulatory care, the highest level awarded. The CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program conducts an annual survey to assess how effectively health care organizations apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities.

“Throughout our organization, UCHealth has long had the vision and commitment to be a leader in digital strategy, using innovation and technology to improve the quality of care our patients receive,” said UCHealth Chief Information Officer Steve Hess.

UCHealth has used its advanced electronic medical record and other IT tools to improve patients’ experience and ease their ability to receive care. A mobile app with unique features, online scheduling, eCheck-in, after-visit patient summaries, vaccine administration record and provider messaging are some of the resources recognized by CHIME’s ambulatory care designation.

For hospitalized patients, UCHealth created an early warning sepsis alert that resulted in treating patients with sepsis up to an hour earlier, ultimately saving more than 70 lives a year. UCHealth was also one of the first health systems in the country to show patients their own radiology images, along with their radiology reports, which gives patients control over and easy access to their own medical information.

The system’s digital strategy is driving research and innovation, including the Biobank at the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine (CCPM), a partnership between UCHealth and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, which builds patient genome data to improve diagnoses, treatment and predictive modeling. UCHealth is also using its IT platforms to reduce patients’ prescription costs, allowing them and their providers to choose the most cost effective treatments.

A total of 36,674 organizations were represented in the 2021 Digital Health Most Wired program, which includes four separate surveys: acute, ambulatory, long-term care and international acute. The surveys assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in health care organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry leading.

“Digital transformation in health care has accelerated to an unprecedented level since 2020, and the next few years will bring a wave of innovation that empowers health care consumers and will astound the industry,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell. “The Digital Health Most Wired program recognizes the outstanding digital leaders who have paved the way for this imminent revolution in health care. Their trailblazing commitment to rapid transformation has set an example for the entire industry in how to pursue a leadership vision with determination, brilliant planning and courage to overcome all challenges.”

This is the fourth year that CHIME has conducted the survey and overseen the program.

For more information about the CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program, please go here.