MUSC Health ranks among 'Most Wired' hospitals in the nation for sixth consecutive year

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Oct. 12, 2021) – For the sixth year in a row, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has recognized MUSC Health as a leader in the digital domain with the annual “Most Wired” status, meriting its inclusion as a certified Level 8 in the Acute care category. CHIME conducts an annual survey to assess how effectively health care organizations apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities, through its Digital Health Most Wired program. 

“Our teams have demonstrated an even more keen commitment to digital innovations in light of the challenges that they, our patients and our families are all living through,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., CEO of MUSC Health and vice president for Health Affairs, University. “Our care team members continue to deliver exceptional care to everyone we serve,” he noted. “Staying on the leading edge of high-tech innovations supports our ability to sustain that focus and equips our dedicated teams to drive forward.”  

“Digital transformation in health care has accelerated to an unprecedented level since 2020, and the next few years will bring a wave of innovation that empowers health care consumers and will astound the industry,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell. “The Digital Health Most Wired program recognizes the outstanding digital leaders who have paved the way for this imminent revolution in health care. Their trailblazing commitment to rapid transformation has set an example for the entire industry in how to pursue a leadership vision with determination, brilliant planning and courage to overcome all challenges.”

A total of 36,674 organizations were represented in the 2021 Digital Health Most Wired program, which includes four separate surveys: acute, ambulatory, long-term care and international acute. CHIME then assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in health care organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry leading, based on the surveys.

Each participating organization received a customized benchmarking report, an overall score and scores for individual levels in eight segments: infrastructure, security, business/disaster recovery, administrative/supply chain, analytics/data management, interoperability/population health, patient engagement and clinical quality/safety. Participants can use the report and scores to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. Participants also received certification based on their overall performance, with Level 10 being the highest. 

This is the fourth year that CHIME has conducted the survey and overseen the program. In each successive year, CHIME has expanded the survey to capture more types of organizations that serve patients across the continuum of care. CHIME also continues to promote the program internationally to provide a global overview of digital health advancements. 

As in past years, CHIME will publish an industry trends report based on Digital Health Most Wired responses from U.S. participants. The 2021 National Trends Report is scheduled to be released in October during CHIME21 in San Diego.  For more information about the CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program, please visit here.

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About CHIME

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers (CIOs), chief medical information officers (CMIOs), chief nursing information officers (CNIOs), chief innovation officers (CIOs), chief digital officers (CDOs) and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With nearly 3,400 members in 55 countries and over 150 health care 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 MUSC 

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is home to the oldest medical school in the South as well as the state’s only integrated academic health sciences center, with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and nearly 800 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. MUSC brought in more than $271 million in biomedical research funds in fiscal year 2020, continuing to lead the state in obtaining National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $129.9 million. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality and safe patient care while training generations of compassionate, competent health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Close to 25,000 care team members provide care for patients at 14 hospitals with approximately 2,500 beds and 5 additional hospital locations in development, more than 300 telehealth sites and nearly 750 care locations situated in the Lowcountry, Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate regions of South Carolina. In 2021, for the seventh consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $4.4 billion. The more than 25,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care.