SDI Releases 2010 IHN Top 100

Monroe Clinic ranks number 55 on SDI’s annual ranking of the top 100 Integrated Health Networks (IHN) in the United States. This ranking reports the nation’s most efficient and best performing networks.

The 2010 edition identifies the top 100 IHNs in the current universe of 593 non-specialty, local and regional networks in the United States that meet critical success factors. In addition to the top 100 IHNs, SDI publishes the Best of the Rest, a regional ranking of IHNs that did well but could not break into the top 100.

The ratings are based on SDI’s IHN Rating System, which evaluates each network’s ability to operate in eight categories: integration, integrated technology, contractual capabilities, outpatient utilization, financial stability, services and access, hospital utilization, and physicians.

For the second year in a row, Monroe Clinic rated above average for integrated technology an ongoing emphasis for Monroe Clinic.

“We have replaced our film mammography with a digital unit in Monroe and will soon offer digital mammography at Highland Women’s Care in Freeport as well,” said Rhonda Roenneburg, director of Monroe Clinic’s medical imaging department. “We felt it was important to invest in two units, so patients in both communities could conveniently access the benefits of digital mammography.”

With groundbreaking of the Northwest Addition and welcoming six new providers at multiple locations, Monroe Clinic continues to grow in the categories of efficiency, access, and providers.

The undertaking of the $85 million expansion for the Monroe campus will improve and enhance efficiencies by nurses saving 1.5 to 3 miles per day in transporting patients. Rooms will have the same features located in the same places improving both safety as well as work flow and the facility will be 20-30 percent more energy efficient than the current hospital.

Ensuring access and physicians, Monroe Clinic welcomed new providers to the organization. Dave Chawla, MD, PhD, cardiology; Vincent Keszei, MD, ophthalmology; James Murphy, MD, orthopaedics; Charles Stuart, MD, nephrology; and Alysia Townsend, MD, FACOG, OB/GYN are all seeing patients at Monroe Clinic’s main campus as well as their Freeport locations. An additional cardiology provider, Keith Devries, MD is also available in two locations—Monroe and Brodhead.

“With the cranes up and construction started, there is an excitement in the air,” said Mark Thompson, MD, Chief Medical Officer. “Now we can assure that patients will have access to not only great providers but also an efficient facility.”

This is the fourth straight year Monroe Clinic has been ranked on SDI’s Top 100 IHN. They were also awarded the Thomson Top 100 Hospitals® award for 2006 and 2008 for overall organizational performance.