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Computerworld - Staffers in IT at OhioHealth get a good dose of leading-edge medical technology at the system's 16 hospitals and 17 ambulatory care sites in Ohio.

More than half of OhioHealth's 300 IT employees helped equip a new hospital in Dublin, Ohio, with a range of technologies, including wearable, hands-free communication devices and audio, visual and data networks for off-site physicians and nurses. The IT staff has even helped introduce smart IV pumps.

"It's been a fun experience for IT. We tried out a lot of things that we would not ever hope to accomplish en masse at an existing facility," says CIO Michael Krouse. The new hospital, Dublin Methodist, is one of the first truly paperless hospitals in the country, and it serves as a model for OhioHealth's other facilities.

The technology push is so intriguing that many health care professionals have left their medical posts to join IT.

"It allows us to work with the business side in a way that they know we truly get it," says Mary Jo McElroy, a former nurse and now vice president of IT compliance and standards.

"About 40% of the IT staff has been with OhioHealth for 10 or more years," she notes.

Quirky perks include on-site car detailing, holiday gift-wrapping, and on-site sales of Valentine's Day candy and flowers at reduced rates. Employees with 20 or more years of service are treated to an annual shopping spree with $15 for every year of service, along with a paid day off, breakfast, lunch and entertainment.

Collett is a Computerworld contributing writer. She can be reached at stcollett@aol.com.

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