It’s been said that implementing information technology is a journey. There is, however, a better analogy for the combination of teamwork and uncertainty that comes with blazing this trail.
The process of building a robust information system—combined with preparing an organization for the resulting changes in culture and practice—takes a Magellan-like mission. It takes a team of leaders and followers dedicated unwaveringly to the effort. New discoveries are the hallmark of the adventure. Some will advance the cause, while others will appear to be setbacks. Still others will be pure serendipity.
Dedication must remain strong, even in the face of missteps, even when the path seems lost, the crew is ill-at-ease and the guiding stars are obscured.
Meaningful use of IT takes an outright expedition.
We see that again and again among the 100 Most Wired, which explains why hospitals that are committed to IT often reappear on the list. Take Evanston (Ill.) Northwestern Healthcare, the focus of this issue’s cover story. ENH has appeared on the list five times, one of 86 organizations that have been on the list five times or more.
These organizations know that a commitment to IT as a fundamental part of quality, safety and transparency—as a core part of reorganizing care to meet the Institute of Medicine’s aims—begins at the top.
But they also know that success comes when the goal of patient-centric care pervades an organization’s culture. Commitment to IT begins in the rare air of senior management and the clinical air at the bedside … and everywhere in between.
In the 10 years that we’ve conducted the survey, thousands of hospitals have participated. Many participate even after they miss the top honors several years running. Why? It’s because of their dedication to the expedition. They need a compass, a guide to their progress and an overview of their peers’ movement. They use the benchmarking data from their survey to understand the challenges ahead.