CIOs Predict Future Trends

Health care CIOs and other I.T. executives are optimistic about the growth of real-time claims adjudication as well as clinical decision support, the Health Data Management 2008 CIO Survey shows. The full results of the survey are displayed below.

The survey, e-mailed to a sample of Health Data Management’s subscribers, attracted 90 participants. Respondents included CIOs and other I.T. executives at hospitals, integrated delivery systems and group practices. The survey was co-sponsored by Quammen Group, an Orlando, Fla.-based consulting firm. To learn more about the company, visit the Web site at www.quammengroup.com.

The survey garnered interesting feedback about personal health records, electronic records certification and other recent I.T. issues and trends affecting the marketplace. The survey also found that even in an economy trending toward recession, the vast majority of health care organizations expect their information technology budgets to grow during the next fiscal year, and this growth is driven primarily by a need to improve access to information for clinicians, the survey shows.

Some 81% of respondents said their I.T. budgets will grow, with the most common prediction being growth of 5% to 10%. Implementing electronic health records was the No. 1 software investment priority for the coming year for hospitals, integrated delivery systems and group practices alike, the survey shows.