IT Priorities
Patient safety and HIPAA compliance remain top priorities for IT executives. Implementation of electronic medical record systems is anticipated to be a priority in the next two years.
Asked to identify their facility’s top IT priorities today, survey participants most frequently cited technology to reduce medical errors/promote patient safety (53 percent). This is followed by upgrading security on IT systems to meet HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) requirements (44 percent). These were also the top two identified in the 2004 and 2003 studies.
For the second consecutive year, replacing/upgrading inpatient clinical systems also topped the list of current IT priorities; it was identified by 38 percent of respondents.
While upgrading security on IT systems to meet HIPAA requirements continues to be of importance to survey respondents, upgrading systems to meet other areas of HIPAA requirements are not of as high a priority level to respondents. Only 16 percent of respondents identify implementing privacy modifications to meet HIPAA requirements is a priority, and 11 percent indicate that implementing EDI to meet HIPAA requirements is a priority.
Overall, the change in percent of respondents identifying items as a priority was minimal, when compared to 2004 data. Areas which showed an increase in importance are as follows:
- Implementing ambulatory care systems (18 percent, compared to 12 percent in 2004)
- Replacing/upgrading inpatient financial/administrative systems (15 percent, compared to 9 percent in 2004)
- Upgrading network infrastructure (25 percent, compared to 32 percent in 2004)
- Improving IS departmental services, cost effectiveness and efficiencies (22 percent, compared to 29 percent)
Survey respondents were also asked to identify what their facility’s top IT priorities would be over the next two years. Implementing an electronic medical record was most frequently cited by respondents (54 percent). This is followed by implementing technology to reduce medical errors/promote patient safety (42 percent) and replacing/upgrading inpatient clinical systems (33 percent). Although in a different order, these three areas were also among the top three identified in the 2004 study. As noted previously, HIPAA requirements continue to decline in importance as deadlines for compliance pass. Only seven percent of respondents indicate that upgrading security on IT systems to meet HIPAA requirements will be a priority at their organization in the next two years.
Compared to current IT priorities, implementing an EMR is anticipated to increase in importance over the next two years. Twenty-nine percent of respondents indicated it was among their top IT priorities today, compared to 54 percent who indicate it will be among their top priorities in the next two years. Speech recognition technology is also expected to increase in importance. Twelve percent of respondents identify it as a current priority, compared to 28 percent who note that it will be among their top priorities in the next two years.
For the third consecutive year, increasing patient safety/reducing medical errors ranked highest among the business issues respondents believed would have the most impact on healthcare in the next two years; it was identified by 57 percent of respondents in 2005. This can be compared to 64 percent of respondents in 2004 and 63 percent in 2003. Respondents also believe that patient/customer satisfaction (44 percent) and improving quality of care (42 percent) will be business issues that will continue to have future impact on healthcare. While cost pressures are still presumed to have a significant impact on healthcare, the number of respondents identifying this as an area of importance has declined (54 percent of 2004 respondents compared to 40 percent of respondents in 2005).
Also showing a large decline was the area of nursing shortage. This was identified by 34 percent of 2004 respondents and only 18 percent of respondents in 2005.
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