November 5, 2026 – The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has announced the results of its 2026 Digital Health Most Wired Survey, an internationally recognized benchmarking program that honors excellence in digitally enabled healthcare. Nicklaus Children’s Health System is proud to announce its Level 9 achievement in the acute and ambulatory categories.
Among the more than 44,000 facilities represented in this year’s survey, Nicklaus Children’s distinguished itself by ranking above peers in key focus areas including clinical quality and safety, analytics and data management, cybersecurity, population health, infrastructure, patient engagement and innovation. The survey evaluates the adoption, maturity, outcomes and value of technology across healthcare organizations at every stage of their digital journey, from early-phase digitization to advanced transformation.
As healthcare organizations navigate persistent cybersecurity threats, evolving care models, workforce shortages and tightening budgets, the pressure to accelerate digital transformation continues to grow. Artificial intelligence is moving quickly from pilot to practice, and innovations powered by interoperable data, AI and secure digital infrastructure are reshaping how and where care is delivered. Realizing that potential responsibly will require sustained commitment, strong governance and a clear strategic roadmap.
The Digital Health Most Wired Survey serves as a comprehensive evaluation and digital maturity report card for healthcare organizations around the world. As digital transformation increasingly shapes the quality and accessibility of care, this recognition reflects the progress of leading healthcare providers as they reshape the future of healthcare. The achievement extends beyond information technology to every area of the enterprise, reflecting a collective commitment to advancing health and care through strategic digital initiatives.
“This recognition reflects the work our teams do every day to use technology to make care better for children and their families,” said Michelle Hurtarte, vice president and chief information officer at Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “Achieving Level 9 in both the acute and ambulatory categories is a great accomplishment, and one that speaks to the collaboration across our organization. We’re constantly looking for ways to use technology and data to help our care teams make informed decisions, keep patient information secure and create a better experience for the families who count on us.”
About Nicklaus Children’s Health System – Where Your Child Matters Most ™
For more than 75 years, Nicklaus Children’s Health System has stood as a beacon of hope for children and families across the state of Florida and beyond. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is South Florida’s #1 nonprofit, freestanding specialty licensed hospital exclusively for children. Nicklaus Children’s provides pediatric care across a growing network of hospital and community-based partnerships, including within NCH North Hospital in Naples, Jupiter Medical Center, select Baptist Health Hospital pediatric emergency units, as well as at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Fort Lauderdale and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Coral Springs, each located on the campuses of Broward Health. The hospitals and their network of more than 35 outpatient locations offer lifesaving care in Miami-Dade, Broward, Martin and Palm Beach counties. Outpatient locations include an array of urgent, pediatric primary and specialty care centers and are either hospital-based or outpatient locations under Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists, LLC (NCPS). Providing a pipeline of future physicians and groundbreaking research, Nicklaus Children’s is an academic and clinical affiliate of the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and home to centers of excellence including the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, the Orthopedic, Sports Medicine and Spine Institute, the Neuroscience Institute and the Heart Institute. The 474-bed system is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, with many programs routinely ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. Nicklaus Children’s also includes a nonprofit physician practice subsidiary with more than 40 pediatric specialties and an ambulatory surgery center. For more information, visit nicklauschildrens.org.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers (CIOs), chief medical information officers (CMIOs), chief nursing information officers (CNIOs), chief innovation officers (CIOs), chief digital officers (CDOs) and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 15,000 members in 58 countries and two U.S. territories and 200ß CHIME Foundation healthcare IT business and professional service firm members, CHIME and its three associations provide a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate, exchange best practices, address professional development needs, and advocate for the effective use of information management to improve health and care in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.
