System Moves Up In Rankings From 65th to 39th Baystate Named Among Top 100 Integrated Health Care Networks

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health System (BHS) has again been named one of the Top 100 integrated health care networks (IHNs) in the country by SMG Marketing Group Inc.
Baystate, which was included in the top 100 for the third year, was ranked 39th this year, a significant increase over last year’s ranking of 65th. Baystate’s move up the ranks is primarily the result of increased integration in the area of information technology, said Lisa Garavaglia, a market segment specialist with SMG.

“Our vision of an integrated system is one where patients are able to access care that meets their needs from any point in Baystate Health System and be linked to those services across the system so that care remains as local as possible, and above all within the region,” said Michael J. Daly, president of BHS.

“Our jump to 39th place reflects a commitment of staff to always putting the patient first, our strong financial performance, the greater integration of services across our network, and our commitment to information technology to support our network, including a new patient safety system,” Daly added.

Donna Ross, senior vice president of Strategy and Business Development for BHS, said information technology has become a major vehicle for integration and is recognized by SMG as important to improving clinical outcomes.

“We moved ahead on clinical integration this year, with the co-development of programs and services in orthopedics, cancer and cardiac services, women’s and children’s services, rehabilitation, and minimally invasive surgery, among others,” Ross said. “And our Information Systems focus this past year was on the selection of a clinical system that will take us to the next level on supporting patient safety, medical management, and delivery of timely data and communications with physicians.”

The SMG IHN rating system evaluates 578 local and regional non-specialty health care networks on their performance level and degree of integration. The rating system is a means for identifying the top 100 based on critical success factors. Ninety-six of the top 100 systems are not-for-profit, as are 532 of the 578 systems in the survey.

Currently there are 600 IHNs in the U.S., an increase of more than 100{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} since April 1995.