Mackenzie Health deemed most wired hospital

RICHMOND HILL, Ont. – Mackenzie Health has become the only Canadian hospital to be named a recipient of the 2023 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired Award. The award from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is based on survey results for the 2023 data collection period.

“The investments we’ve made in smart systems and technologies at Mackenzie Health are making a real difference in improving the patient and staff experience,” said Purvi Desai (pictured), vice president of Digital Health and CIO at Mackenzie Health.

“Being recognized by CHIME with its Digital Health Most Wired award for the fourth time in five years is a testament to the culture of innovation we’ve fostered as we continue our drive to deliver the best possible experience for our patients, staff and physicians.”

Among the more than 55,000 organizations surveyed by CHIME globally, Mackenzie Health ranked above peers in categories like analytics and data management, population health, infrastructure, and patient engagement. The survey assessed the adoption, integration, and impact of technologies in healthcare organizations at all stages, from early development to industry leading.

One of the achievements highlighted in the survey was Mackenzie Health’s use of Epic Secure Chat, a feature within Mackenzie Health’s Electronic Medical Record platform that allows clinicians to send secure clinical text messages to each other in real-time.

A more secure system than other third-party text messaging applications, staff across Mackenzie Health’s two hospitals can access Epic Secure Chat through Epic’s mobile app or hyperspace on desktop devices to share sensitive information related to patient care.

Fully integrated with the Electronic Medical Record, Epic Secure Chat moves with clinicians and allows them to access health information and share it with each other in a secure way wherever they are, resulting in more responsive and better patient care.

Also recognized in this this year’s Digital Health Most Wired survey, Mackenzie Health standardized a few key pieces of technology across both of its hospital sites to ensure patients and staff have the same experience no matter which hospital they go to for care or work.

Vocera, a smartphone application enabling calls, secure texts, medical device alarms and clinical code alerts so staff can receive real-time notifications related to their patient’s care became available to care teams at both Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital.

MyCare bedside tablets were also introduced across all inpatient units at both hospitals so patients can be in control of their own care by accessing educational videos, looking up their medications and viewing their appointments and instructions for follow-up care on the tablets in their rooms.

Amid escalating challenges posed by growing cybersecurity threats, evolving care models, staffing shortages, and budget constraints, the call for revolutionizing healthcare through technology is moving forward at a rapid pace. The future of healthcare is being driven by emerging technology and digital innovation.

“We are proud to recognize Mackenzie Health’s exceptional dedication to digital health excellence,” said CHIME president and CEO Russell P. Branzell. “Mackenzie Health’s pioneering performance in the industry not only inspires other organizations by example, but also provides patients around the world with better care.”

This is not the first time Mackenzie Health has been recognized by CHIME. In 2018, 2020 and 2022, Mackenzie Health was named a CHIME Digital Health Most Wired recipient, improving to a level 8 certification for the first time this year.

About Mackenzie Health
Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional healthcare provider. Mackenzie Health includes Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, each with a full-service emergency department, core services such as surgery, medicine, critical care, and medical imaging along with specialized programs. Its community-based locations and services continue to provide additional support to western York Region. In December 2022, the organization maintained its Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for its commitment to safety and quality patient care. This is the highest rating a Canadian healthcare provider can receive. Guided by a vision to create a world-class health experience, Mackenzie Health has an unrelenting focus on the patient and is dedicated to patient needs now and in the future. Mackenzie Health is proud to serve western York Region, one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada with more than 550,000 residents. For more information, please visit www.mackenziehealth.ca.

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 more than 5,000 members in 58 countries plus two U.S. territories and over 190 healthcare IT business partners and professional services firms, CHIME and its three associations provide 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.