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By Staff and wire reports | Tuesday, July 11, 2006 1:28 AM CDT | () comments

Technology

Q-C healthcare providers ranked by journal

Genesis Health System and Iowa Health System, the parent company of Trinity Regional Health System, were named to the 100 Most Wired Hospitals by Hospital & Health Networks, the journal of the American Hospital Association, officials announced Monday.

In addition, Genesis Medical Center, DeWitt, was named to the 25 Most Wired small and rural hospitals for the first time. And Iowa Health System was named on the organization’s “Most Wireless” list for use of wireless technology.

“This recognition reaffirms that the Genesis investment in information technology has a direct link to patient safety, quality of care and patient comfort,” said Rob Frieden, vice president of information services for Genesis.

Jim Mormann, Iowa Health’s vice president and chief information officer, said that the designation is a tribute to a commitment to harnessing technology in order to improve patient care.

“Patient care is at the heart of all our information technology initiatives,” he said. “Virtually everything we do is intended to improve clinical quality or enhance patient services.”

Transportation

Northwest, flight attendants resume talks

Northwest Airlines Corp. and the new union that represents its flight attendants planned to negotiate today in a final effort to reach a deal before a deadline set by a bankruptcy judge.

Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper has ruled that Northwest can unilaterally change the flight attendant contract on July 17 if the two sides don’t agree to new terms by then. An imposed contract could prompt a strike.

Talks with the flight attendants have been under way for months, but today’s meeting will involve a new set of negotiators for the Association of Flight Attendants. The carrier’s cabin workers voted out their old union and switched to the AFA on Friday.

The AFA has said it wants to make a deal with Northwest, but would consider calling for a strike if the airline changes the flight attendant contract without getting flight attendants to agree. Northwest has said a strike would be illegal and that it would seek a court order to halt one.