VCU news

By Anne Buckley

The Virginia Commonwealth University Health System has been recognized as a CIO 100 honoree by CIO magazine for using information technology to create business value.

CIO magazine named the VCU Health System a 2008 honoree for its deployment of the PatientKeeper Physician Information System, which integrates data from multiple health care information systems across the medical center into a single unified view that allows physicians to automate their day and improve patient care.

Physicians and other health care providers can access information, from appointment schedules to results review to automated entry of reimbursement charges, via mobile technology or Web-based portals. This solution reduces the time it takes to submit charges, reduces missed charges and improves the coding accuracy of billing, contributing to improved financial performance.

"Similar to previous distinctions as a "Most Wired Hospital," the CIO 100 award represents another affirmation of our commitment to bring information technology innovation to benefit our institution and the communities we serve," said Sheldon Retchin, M.D., CEO of the VCU Health System and vice president for VCU Health Sciences.

"The CIO 100 honors organizations that have used technology in innovative ways to generate value to the business," said Abbie Lundberg, editor in chief of CIO. "Unlike other top lists, it's not just about who's biggest — it's about who's doing the most interesting and relevant things."

"Our success with this innovation was achieved through convergence of all physician information needs, including clinical results, schedules, calendar, email, paging, charge capture and cell phone service into a single mobile and wireless device," said Richard Pollack, vice president and CIO for the health system. "To make that happen, we first had to converge the disciplines of information technology, physician billing and clinician clinical workflow.

"It was truly a diverse and motivated team that made this a reality," he said. "The recognition is theirs to share."

“It is incredibly rewarding to see VCU receive recognition for best-practice use of our software,” said Paul Brient, president and CEO of PatientKeeper. “VCU is a shining example of how important physician workflow is to the achievement of true clinical and business transformation. We are proud of their accomplishment.” 

The awards will be presented at the CIO 100 Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Aug. 26.