CHIME Survey Shows COVID-19 Digital Health Transformation Surge

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives’ (CHIME) Digital Health Most Wired survey awarded 10 healthcare organizations the highest level of certification for their commitment to digital health transformation.

The survey and certification program evaluates health IT adoption and processes as well as organizational digital health philosophies.

To receive a level 10 certification, organizations must “show an outstanding record of leveraging the power of digital technology within a visionary corporate strategy,” CHIME representatives noted.

“The Digital Health Most Wired program recognizes the outstanding digital leaders who have paved the way for this imminent revolution in healthcare,” Russell P. Branzell, CHIME President and CEO, said in a public statement. “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.”

Over 36,000 healthcare organizations participated in the survey, a 20 percent jump in participation compared to last year, highlighting COVID-19’s impact on the digital health transformation.

“Digital transformation in healthcare has accelerated to an unprecedented level since 2020, and the next few years will bring a wave of innovation that empowers healthcare consumers and will astound the industry,” Branzell continued.

This is the fourth year that CHIME has conducted the Digital Health Most Wired survey. Over the years, the organization has added additional providers. Originally, CHIME surveyed only acute care providers. The most recent survey included acute care, ambulatory care, and long-term/post-acute care (LTPAC) providers.

The CHIME Digital Health Most Wired survey’s Board of Governors is made up of health IT and health industry experts.

Each survey participant receives an overall score, a customized benchmarking report, and scores for individual levels in seven categories: infrastructure; security; administrative/supply chain; analytics/data management; interoperability/population health; patient engagement; and clinical quality/safety.

Each participant also receives certification based on their overall performance on the scored sections, with level 10 being the highest.

As the digital health transformation progresses, participants can leverage the survey’s feedback to identify opportunities for improvement and areas of strength.

The 2021 survey also included an unscored section on COVID-19-related health IT developments to gather data without affecting an organization's rating.  

Health systems that achieved level 10 certification were: Avera Health in South Dakota; Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania; Lehigh Valley Health Network in Pennsylvania; Spectrum Health in Michigan; UCHealth in Colorado; and UPMC in Pennsylvania.

The following health systems are “eligible pending validation” for level 10 certification: University Health in Texas; NYU Langone Health in New York; UCLA Health in California; and West Virginia University Health System.