The Healthcare Information and Management System Society has named Valley Children’s Information Technology Services (ITS) Division one of the “Best Hospital IT Departments” in the country. Only five healthcare networks are recognized with this award annually.
“It’s been a year of well-deserved acknowledgments and I could not be more proud of Valley Children's ITS division,” Valley Children’s President and CEO Todd Suntrapak said. “Their dedication to excellence has given all of us the tools we need to provide the outstanding level of care to the children and families we serve. Caring for kids is a team effort and technology continues to allow us to build strong relationships with our patients, their families and their local caregivers so we can deliver on our promise to provide the highest quality of care those children deserve.”
Valley Children’s ITS team was chosen for its predictive analytics, telehealth and security, among other criteria. Healthcare IT News also noted that “an innovative spirit and a sharp focus on what children need are what make this system a winner.”
This is the second national IT award for Valley Children’s. In July, Valley Children’s was recognized as one of the “Most Wired” healthcare networks by the American Hospital Association (AHA), according to results of the 19th Annual Health Care’s Most Wired® survey. That was the first time Valley Children’s received the award.
The Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study recognizes hospitals and health systems for excellence in Information Technology, based on the organization’s achievements within an analytic structure. Hospitals are analyzed based on progress in adoption, implementation and use of technology in four areas: Infrastructure, Business and Administrative management, Clinical Quality and Safety, and Clinical Integration.
“I told the team years ago we had the potential to be the best IT department in the nation,” Vice President and Chief Information Officer Kevin Shimamoto said. “That was a goal. Fast forward, and now we are recognized as one of the best in the nation. Everything we do is to ensure our physicians, nurses and staff have the tools in place to better serve the families who trust us with the care of their kids.”
There are 89 team members in Valley Children’s ITS division.
Read more about Valley Children’s most recent recognition here.