The findings of the 21st Annual tems-society-himss" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">tems-society-himss" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Leadership Survey point towards encouraging news in the year ahead, indicating an increase in health IT spending as providers strive to meet the government's ory/meaningful-use" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">meaningful use stipulations.
The poll, which comes on the heels of this week's successful HIMSS10 conference and exhibit in Atlanta, shows that substantial numbers of hospitals and providers, perhaps doubly encouraged by the thawing economy, plan to increase their operating budgets in order to meet the requirements for financial incentives promised by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Of the 398 respondents to the survey, 72 percent said they expect their IT budgets to increase. Last year, just 55 percent of respondents could say the same. Meanwhile, nearly half of those who said their budgets would increase in 2010 reported that meaningful use would be a driver. (Another 45 percent said the increase would occur thanks to an overall growth in the number of system and technologies at their organization.)
Tellingly, 42 percent of poll respondents said meeting meaningful use criteria was their "single IT priority" during the next two years. When asked to identify their organization's primary clinical IT focus, 35 percent said it would be ensuring their organization has a fully functional electronic medical record (EMR) in place, and 27 percent said it would focus on installing a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system.
"Many healthcare executives are paying attention to the improving financial picture, evaluating their systems and starting to make investments," said Barry P. Chaiken, MD, HIMSS board chair. "A year ago, spending was down and hospitals were feeling pressure, but the stabilizing of the economy and the ARRA meaningful use provision has provided an incentive for making healthcare IT investments."
The impact of meaningful use requirements was found in other answers as well. More than one in three respondents (38 percent) cited government rules as the business issue they felt would have the biggest impact on healthcare in the next two years; last year that number was just six percent.
Other findings from the HIMMS Leadership Survey:
- Sixty-six percent of organizations reported plans to increase the number of IT staff
- Forty-eight percent of respondents said they have a fully operational EMR in at least one facility, compared to 41 percent last year
- Twenty-two percent said they have a fully operation EMR throughout their entire organization, up from 17 percent last year
- Thirty-two percent have begun to install an EMR in at least one facility
- Twenty-four percent said lack of adequate financial resources would be the most significant barrier to successful healthcare IT implementation at their organization
Read the entire 2010 HIMSS Leadership Survey here.
