For Immediate Release
October 19, 2007
Contact: Laura Buffum
732-751-7537
lbuffum@meridianhealth.com

MERIDIAN HEALTH NAMED THE AREA'S ONLY "MOST WIRED" HEALTH SYSTEM FOR THE EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Neptune, NJ - Neptune, NJ- Meridian Health has once again been named one of the nation's top 100 "Most Wired" health systems, and the only health care provider in Monmouth and Ocean County to be named in the annual rankings of the nation' hospitals and health systems. Meridian Health is recognized for its consistent and innovative implementation of advanced technology in advancing hospital patient care, reducing the likelihood of medical errors, enhancing quality, improving communication and information access, and increasing patient care efficiency.

Research shows that health systems who have invested significantly in information technology have risk-adjusted mortality rates 7.2% lower than other hospitals. The results also indicate improved patient safety, out comes, and access to state of the art services.

According to Rebecca Weber, vice president of Information Technology for Meridian Health, Meridian stands out from other hospitals due to a cumulative effort from all of our hospitals over many years.

"Our status is a tribute to the support and commitment of our administration, board of directors, physicians, and staff to utilize and implement technology to improve the care, quality, and experience we provide our patients. Our team always is equipped with a strong work ethic and positive attitude," says Weber.

Meridian has been successful in implementing computerized physician order entry systems. This enables doctors to enter orders for all types of procedures into a computer rather then writing them down on paper, and they are automatically checked against a patient's current information for potential mistakes or problems. For example, before a doctor can complete a prescription order, the computer will automatically detect if the new prescription will interact with one already being taken. This technology also reduces errors that can occur from misreading a doctor's handwriting.

Meridian's technological advancements also include lifetime clinical records, which allow physicians to access a patient's clinical information when prescribing medication, online insurance verification that reduces delays in service, and wireless laptops for faster patience admittance.

Doctors can also download patient data such as patient census, demographics, lab results, and vital signs in the hospital or in their offices.

"At Meridian, we have worked so hard to implement outstanding patient safety, efficiency and satisfaction. It is a great feeling knowing that the advanced technology we have worked on has improved our quality of care and services", adds Weber.

The Most Wired Survey, conducted annually by Hospitals & Health Networks Magazine, measures how hospitals and health care systems use technology to connect with five key constituent groups: patients, doctors and nurses, employees, suppliers and insurers. The survey is compiled by rating hospitals utilization of technology in various areas.

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