'Stories of Success!' highlight 16 organizations using HIT to improve quality

Last fall, HIMSS and the American Society for Quality solicited case studies of healthcare organizations that have successfully employed IT to improve patient safety and the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of care. Now, the two groups have introduced the first 16 peer-reviewed case studies for the "Stories of Success! Leveraging HIT, Improving Quality & Safety" program.

Six organizations--including some that might not be so obvious--achieved "Tier 1" designation, meaning they aligned most closely with the goals of the program, while 10 more were listed as "Tier 2" by virtue of their "impressive success stories," according to HIMSS. The second tier contains some big names, notably Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region, Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic and Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston.

The case studies are "real-world examples for those endeavoring to become 'meaningful users'" of health IT,  Dr. Joseph Fortuna, chair-elect of ASQ's healthcare division, says in a joint HIMSS-ASQ press release.

"With the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act now underway, the information gathered in these case studies will help the industry understand how valuable health IT as a tool can be to improving patient safety and quality," adds David A. Collins, HIMSS' director of healthcare information systems. "By sharing notable quality improvement scenarios, we hope these best-practice examples will serve as guidance to others for improved healthcare delivery and demonstrate the benefits of health IT adoption."

The two organizations will issue another call for submissions for the program next month.

To learn more about "Stories of Success!":
- check out this Health Data Management story
- see the HIMSS/ASQ press release
- read the 16 case studies

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