Improving patient care and satisfaction are the top business issues facing executives at healthcare delivery systems across the country, according to the 18th annual HIMSS Leadership survey released this week.
Other concerns include Medicare cutbacks, the increasing need for healthcare services and the adoption of new technology.
The online survey took place from Dec. 20, 2006 to March 1, 2007. It elicited responses from 360 executives - CEOs and CIOs - representing 306 healthcare organizations that together operate 700 hospitals.
"As the survey results demonstrate, improving quality and patient safety continue to be primary health industry goals," said Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Board Chairman George Hickman.
"Our survey respondents reinforce the view that health information technology adoption is foundational to achievement of such quality, patient safety and necessary clinical process improvements," said Hickman.
While executives view the implementation of information technology as key to improving patient care and saving money, cost continues to be the top barrier to deployment of IT, the survey finds.
For the seventh consecutive year, respondents - 20 percent in this year's survey - identified lack of financial support for IT as the most significant barrier to implementation. Sixteen percent cited lack of staffing resources and 15 percent pointed to vendors' inability to effectively deliver a product or service.
In spite of the stated lack of financial support for IT projects, the survey showed a "strong level of integration between IT strategies and overall organizational strategies. Also, more than 80 percent of CIOs say they are part of the organization's executive team.
Other key findings include:
- Nearly three-quarters of respondents reported that their IT operating budget would increase in the next year.
- Nearly two-thirds of respondents indicate that the number of IT full-time employees in their organization would increase in the next 12 months.
- Clinical system applications were rated as top priority. Topping the list were electronic medical records, computerized practitioner order entry and clinical information systems.
- Bar coding technology, high-speed networks and Intranets were the top technologies that survey respondents intend to implement in the next two years.
- About one-quarter of respondents reported that their organization participates in a RHIO, or regional health information organization.
"All of this underlines - supports - the premise that interoperability is important and is being fully embraced by the industry," said HIMSS CEO and President H. Stephen Lieber.
The rate of IT adoption is picking up dramatically, Lieber said. Seven years ago, the increase in healthcare IT adoption was at 1 or 2 percent. In more recent years, the survey indicates growth in adoption by 18, 22, and 32 percent, he said.
"I think we are on the right track," Lieber said. "We are on a good pace, but not a pace where we can let up any."