21 Nov SMH -> The 254 Most Wired Hospitals

Today the Advisory Board published an article entitled, “The 254 Most Wired Hospitals, According To College of Health Information Management Executives.” 

This years list highlights the way hospitals are using IT to reduce unnecessary opioid prescribing amid the opioid epidemic in the U.S. 

The survey shows that of the 647 organizations representing 2190 hospitals that about 50% of participating hospitals are using electronic prescribing for controlled substances. 

While I think the information in the article is fair and shows an uptake in leveraging IT to improve patient care, I have a problem with “acknowledgment” of 254 “most wired” hospitals. 

Why? 

This reminds me of the need to award everyone a trophy for participation in sports. 

Why are they giving an award to the top 12% (254/2190) or 39% (254/647) of the facilities surveyed? 

Not sure about you, but if I am using a list to help sway my decision making, I am not sure if I want to choose going to the facility in the bottom half of the top 12%. 

I would want to go to the best. Not the mediocre. 

This demonstrates healthcare’s problem with trying to make a dollar. (one of many)

Healthcare feels that if you pay to play, then you have a right to be acknowledged, to be called out, receive an award, and to be highlighted as a “top facility.” 

When we share best practices, adopt the playbook of implementation, and copy others all we do is drive to the mean, scale mediocrity and achieve the status of average. 

We need to acknowledge that not everyone can be number one. When we try, all it delivers is average care to the masses. 

An average that no one wants to receive when they are sick, ill, or not feeling well. 

Winners, like medicine, are determined at the N of 1. 

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~Cancergeek