June, 2006, DANVILLE, —Geisinger Health System has earned a prominent place on this year’s national list of 100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems, published by Hospitals & Health Networks (H&HN) magazine.

The annual list is based on surveys, benchmarking studies and a detailed scoring process focusing on quality and patient safety, public health, customer service, business processes and workforce.

For this year’s honor roll, the top 100 most wired hospitals and health systems were selected from 1,217 hospitals representing approximately 20 percent of all U.S. hospitals. 

“We are very pleased to be named among the most wired hospitals and health systems in the country,” stated Geisinger President and Chief Executive Officer Glenn Steele, Jr., MD. “It represents significant acknowledgement of our pioneering efforts and continuing innovative leadership in developing and implementing electronic systems to improve the quality, scope and delivery of healthcare services to patients and communities in central and northeastern Pennsylvania.”

For many years, Geisinger has invested millions of dollars to use information technology to upgrade and transform clinical quality, safety and operational effectiveness. “Although there will always be room for improvement, our integrated data network, electronic health record systems, research data bases and MyGeisinger web portal for patients and consumers are considered outstanding examples of healthcare technology,” stated Frank Richards, Chief Information Officer at Geisinger.  “We will continue to invest in new information technology to expand our capabilities and enhance the services we provide.”

Since 1999, H&HN has compiled survey data to name the most wired hospitals and health systems. This is the fourth year Geisinger has made the list, an achievement consistent with other national recognition awarded to the system earlier this year.  In April, Modern Healthcare magazine and the Health Information Management Systems Society named Dr. Steele as the 2006 recipient of the CEO Information Technology Achievement Award. In March, Geisinger Medical Center and Geisinger Wyoming Valley were named to the Solucient 100 Top Hospitals®: National Benchmarks for Success list. In February, Geisinger Health System earned a high national ranking in the 2006 Verispan IHN 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated healthcare networks.  

Geisinger Health System is the foremost rural healthcare provider in the United States.  Founded in 1915, it has evolved into one of the nation's leading fully integrated healthcare providers. Serving more than two million residents throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania, the physician-led organization is at the forefront of the country's rapidly emerging electronic health records movement. With three major regional medical centers and a 650-member group practice, the pioneering system is home to the industry's pre-eminent not-for-profit rural HMO and the renowned Geisinger Center for Health Research—dedicated to creating innovative new models for patient care, satisfaction and clinical outcomes.

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