The Tiger Institute for Health Innovation, the information technology department for University of Missouri Health Care, has been recognized as one of the nation’s “Best Hospital IT Departments” by Healthcare IT News. The national trade publication selected the Tiger Institute for the honor based on surveys and interviews of health IT departments across the country.

“At the Tiger Institute, our goal is to streamline patient care, improve the patient experience and reduce health care costs,” said Bryan Bliven, chief information officer at MU Health Care and executive director of the Tiger Institute. “Our technology allows us to connect patients with their medical teams and improve care by reducing avoidable readmissions. There are many top-tier health IT departments across the country. To be selected among this elite company is an honor and a testament to the dedication of the entire Tiger Institute team.”

The Tiger Institute was formed in 2009 by MU and Cerner Corporation, a global leader in health care technology, to deliver value through IT innovations. Since the formation of the Tiger Institute, MU Health Care has achieved multiple health technology successes, including:

• Reached HIMSS Stage 7, the highest level of electronic medical record adoption (2012/2013, recertified 2016)
• Named the first academic medical center and the ninth health system in the country to meet federal Stage 2 meaningful use standards for the adoption of medical information technology to improve patient care (2014)
• Received the HIMSS Nicholas E. Davies Award of Excellence for outstanding achievements in using IT to improve patient outcomes (2015)
• Received the Transformational Leadership Award from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and the American Hospital Association (2016)
• Designated a “Most Wired” hospital by the American Hospital Association for seven consecutive years (2011-2017)
• Received the American Hospital Association’s “Innovator Award” for MoodTrek™, an integrated mood tracking app (2017)
• Enhanced a robust online portal that enables patients to view their medical records, securely message providers, schedule appointments and more (2012-present)

“At MU Health Care, we know that patients want and deserve a rewarding and engaging experience each time they interact with our providers — whether it be in person or through our online portal,” said Jonathan Curtright, chief executive officer of MU Health Care. “Through the work of our talented team at the Tiger Institute, we’ve been able to provide our patients the very best health IT experience. I’m proud of our team and the difference that they make in the lives of our patients.”

Click here to see the full list of Healthcare IT News’ Best Hospital IT Departments 2017 award winners.