Healthcare CIO: Final Report

Respondents continue to name lack of financial support as the biggest barrier to implementing IT at healthcare organizations, identified by 23 percent of healthcare IT executives. However, the gap seems to be narrowing. Last year, nearly 10 percentage points separated lack of financial support from the second most frequently mentioned response, vendors’ inability to effectively deliver product or service to their clients’ satisfaction (27 percent versus 18 percent). This year, only four percentage points separate the same two issues (23 percent versus 19 percent). Rounding out the top three barriers is difficulty in proving return on investment, reported by 13 percent of respondents. Last year’s third-place response, difficulty achieving end-user acceptance, dropped nearly six percentage points and fell into fifth place.

Staffing issues appear to be more of a concern for respondents this year. Last year, four percent of respondents indicated that difficulty recruiting and retaining high-quality IT staff was a barrier. This year, 12 percent of respondents indicated that lack of staffing resources was a barrier.