North Kansas City Hospital, Meritas Health Earn Most Wired Recognition
October 12, 2021Categories: PRESS RELEASE
For more than ten years, North Kansas City Hospital has been recognized as one of the nation’s Most Wired hospitals.
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives awarded NKCH and Meritas Health quality awards for achieving Digital Health Certified Acute Level 8 and Digital Health Certified Ambulatory Level 8. The annual CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program assesses how effectively healthcare organizations apply core and advanced technologies to their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities.
NKCH and MH have long been dedicated to the use of technology to support provider efforts to improve the patient experience. “This recognition represents progress in our journey toward digital transformation,” said Kristen Guillaume, vice president and chief information officer of NKCH and MH. As we continue to pursue excellence in providing quality care and outstanding customer experiences, we are changing and transforming fundamental business and operational processes with technology.”
With top scores in security and data management, health information exchange and leveraging data to achieve meaningful clinical and efficiency outcomes, NKCH also is committed to exploring more advanced technologies, like telehealth and artificial intelligence.
Guillaume pointed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the community. “We quickly pivoted to vaccinate the community, expanded virtual care services, launched a remote work program and innovated to ensure we were removing barriers for clinicians to care for our community,” Guillaume said. “This accolade represents the highest level of CHIME Most Wired achievement for our organization as we continue to collaborate with clinicians and staff to drive adoption of useful technology and analytics across the system.”
More than 36,000 other organizations across the country were certified at levels ranging from 1-10, which includes four separate surveys: acute, ambulatory, long-term care and international acute. NKCH was recognized in the Acute category, and MH was recognized in the ambulatory category. The surveys assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in healthcare organizations at all stages of development, from early to industry leading.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers, chief medical information officers, chief nursing information officers, chief innovation officers, chief digital officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With nearly 3,400 members in 55 countries and over 150 healthcare IT business partners and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate, exchange best practices, address professional development needs and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and care in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.
About North Kansas City Hospital and Meritas Health
For more than 60 years, North Kansas City Hospital has been the Northland's preferred healthcare provider. Our mission is to provide hope and healing to every life we touch.
NKCH is an acute care facility with 451 licensed beds and 550 physicians representing 49 medical specialties. From our award-winning cardiovascular and orthopedic programs to our cancer, emergency, neurosciences, spine, women’s and other services, we provide a lifetime of care.
Through our Meritas Health subsidiary, NKCH offers the largest network of physician practices in the Northland, with more than 280 primary and specialty care doctors and advanced practice providers in 35 convenient locations, including an express care clinic in the 64th Street Hy-Vee store.
Our accreditations demonstrate our commitment to providing quality healthcare, including:
- American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet®designation
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services four-star rating
- The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval® and certification for Comprehensive Cardiac Center, Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement, and Primary Stroke Center
Our oncology partnership with The University of Kansas Cancer Center provides patients with access to clinical trials and state-of-the-art radiation therapy.
Our mission, vision and values reflect a strong commitment to the health and well-being of our employees, the Northland community and beyond. U.S. News & World Report ranked NKCH High Performing in 10 procedures and conditions and named NKCH a Best Regional Hospital. Forbes honored NKCH as one of America’s Best Midsize Employers, ranking NKCH the top midsize hospital and health system in the Kansas City area and No. 148 midsize company in the nation.
Each year NKCH serves more than 24,000 people through its dynamic Community Health & Wellness programs.